In Discord messages to friends after the murder, as well as in text messages to his gay trans lover Lance Twiggs, Robinson appeared to confess to the killing.
Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk, will make a court appearance on Thursday in Utah. This is his first in-person court appearance in the case. One pool photographer will be in the court room to broadcast coverage, but will not be permitted to show Robinson in shackles or his family.
The Thursday hearing is "to review the case status with the lawyers and to weigh in on concerns regarding media attention as the trial progresses," NBC reported. Robinson is 22-years-old and the court is in Provo, Utah.
His attorneys have petitioned the court to allow him to wear civilian clothes during the trial, which has been granted. They also asked that he not be shackled in the court room, which the judge denied. However, the judge did say that Robinson could not be filmed in those shackles, meaning that he cannot be filmed entering and leaving court.
The defense attorneys also asked that cameras not be permitted in the courtroom. However, there has been a public outcry against that motion as this is a very public case. Kirk was killed in public, video of his murder is still circulating online, and many say it is only right that the pursuit of justice should be public as well.
Judge Tony F. Graf Jr., who is presiding over the case, said that "The court finds that Mr. Robinson's right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of permitting civilian attire and Mr. Robinson shall be dressed as one who is presumed innocent." This is his rationale for allowing him to wear civilian clothes.
His parents have been communicating with him virtually after turning their son in to authorities following the FBI's release of surveillance video of the suspect, which led them to identify their son. Robinson has been in custody since September 11, one day after Kirk was murdered.
Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University during a campus tour for Turning Point USA. He was talking to students about key issues and had many more campus stops scheduled for "The American Comeback Tour."
The charges against Robinson include aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. In Discord messages to friends after the murder, as well as in text messages to his gay trans lover Lance Twiggs, Robinson appeared to confess to the killing.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea, but should he be convicted, prosecutors have already stated that they would seek the death penalty in this case.
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