Tyler Robinson’s defense seeks to block testimony and evidence from the public ahead of hearing

OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
9:39 AM – Tuesday, May 19, 2026

The defense team for Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, intends to block the public from viewing parts of his upcoming hearing and evidence.

Oral arguments are to be presented on Tuesday on two defense motions: one to close some of Robinson’s preliminary hearing and seal evidence, and another to punish prosecutors who speak of the case outside of the courtroom.

Attorneys Kathy Nester, Michael Burt, Richard Novak and Staci Visser, Robinson’s defense team, are seeking to prevent the public from hearing or seeing testimony or evidence that may be found inadmissible at trial at a later date.

Prosecutors are planning to present written and recorded statements, as well as records of communications via the Discord app and text messages, court filings revealed.

Judge Tony Graf Jr., who is presiding over the high-profile case, previously rejected an earlier defense motion to ban cameras from the courtroom, although he agreed to block news crews from capturing Robinson’s wrist restraints on camera.

“This is a strategic move by the defense for several reasons,” said Randolph Rice, a Maryland-based attorney and legal analyst who is following the case.

“A preliminary hearing is not a trial, so prosecutors are often permitted to introduce certain evidence, hearsay statements, police summaries, or investigative details that may never be admissible before the actual trial jury,” he said. “The defense wants to limit public dissemination of that information to avoid tainting the future jury pool.”

 

The team also sought to delay the review of evidence, claiming the Bureau of alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) “was unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson,” according to court filings.

Deputy County Attorney Christopher Ballard, in an opposition filing, called the claim misleading and “misstated,” however.

“The ATF was unable to identify or exclude the bullet as having been fired from the rifle,” he wrote.

 

Robinson is accused of fatally shooting Kirk, 31, in the neck while he was speaking at an event of approximately 3,000 people on the Utah Valley University (UVU) campus in Orem, Utah.

He is charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child and three counts of victim targeting enhancement, amounting to 10 total counts.

If convicted, Robinson may face the death penalty, which prosecutors announced their intention to pursue in September, suspecting a politically motivated attack.

At his preliminary hearing, scheduled for July 6^th through July 10^th, prosecutors will show they have enough evidence against Robinson to proceed to a trial.

Robinson arrived for his hearing in an armored Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) vehicle on Tuesday.

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