Charlie Kirk murder suspect can wear street clothes in court but must be physically restrained, judge rules
A judge ruled Monday that the 22-year-old Utah man was charged with the murder of a conservative activist. Charlie Kirk will be allowed to wear normal clothing during all pretrial hearings, but must be physically restrained for security reasons.
Lawyers for Tyler Robinson argued that images of him in chains and prison garb would spread widely in a case that is widely covered in the press and attracts public interest, which they say could harm potential future jurors.
Judge Tony Graf approved limited measures to protect Robinson’s presumption of innocence before a trial, acknowledging that the case has attracted “extraordinary” public and media attention.
“Mr. Robinson needs to be dressed like someone who is presumed innocent,” Graf said during a virtual court hearing Monday.
Kirk, 31, was murdered Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem while speaking to a large crowd at an outdoor debate.
Robinson was billed last month with aggravated murder, misdemeanor discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent crime in the presence of a child. Utah County Prosecutor Jeff Gray said they plan to seek the death penalty.
Although Robinson has no criminal history, Judge Graf said Monday that the charges against him are extremely serious and present safety concerns in the courtroom. The court’s highest priority is to protect attorneys, court staff and Robinson himself during what could be emotional hearings, Graf said before denying Robinson’s request to appear without restraint. He did, however, prohibit members of the media from photographing or filming Robinson’s restraints.
Robinson was arrested on September 12 when he showed up with his parents to go to the sheriff’s office in his hometown in southwest Utah, more than a three-hour drive from Orem. He is being held in the Utah County Jail without bail and has not yet entered a plea.
As law enforcement scoured the state for the shooter last month, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said he received a phone call from a retired deputy saying he knew who killed Kirk.
“He said, ‘Hey, I know who Charlie Kirk’s shooter is. I know the family through a church association and he lives in Washington County now, and we’re trying to bring him in voluntarily,'” Brooksby said at the time.
“He didn’t want a large SWAT team hitting his parents’ house or his apartment. He was really afraid of being shot by law enforcement,” Brooksby said. “So the conditions were just as relaxed and comfortable and almost inviting. And if ultimately we can get him to surrender peacefully on his own, I’m going to make some concessions to make that happen.”
Two federal law enforcement sources previously confirmed to CBS News that Robinson’s father saw the photos released by authorities and confronted his son. Robinson admitted to being the person in the photos and said he would rather kill himself than turn himself in, prompting his father to call a youth pastor close to the family, according to the sources.
Authorities said Robinson allegedly confessed to the murder during text exchanges with his roommate. A Discord spokesperson also previously confirmed to CBS News that Robinson appeared to admit to committing the shooting in messages he made on the social media platform.
Judge Graf ordered Robinson to appear on January 16 and 30, 2026 for his first in-person public hearings. He appeared outside prison Monday on a blacked-out screen and spoke only to confirm his presence.
