A Utah judge on Monday ordered the release of transcripts of a closed-door hearing in October on whether the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk must remain in handcuffs during court proceedings.
State District Judge Tony Graf said the transcript must be posted on the court docket by the end of the day. Lawyers for the media, including The Associated Press, have argued for details of the closed hearings to be made public.
Prosecutors charged Tyler Robinson with the Sept. 10 shooting of a conservative activist on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty.
In early October, Robinson’s defense attorneys asked that he be allowed to appear in court in civilian clothes without any restrictions to prevent potential jurors from biasing him.
Days after a closed-door hearing on the matter on Oct. 24, Graf ruled that Robinson could appear in street clothes but must wear a restraint. Utah court rules require restraints on defendants who are in custody unless otherwise ordered.
Graff wrote in an Oct. 27 order that the restrictions on Robinson would protect the safety of court staff and defendants and allow him to be quickly protected if court proceedings are interrupted.
But the judge said on Monday that public transparency was “fundamental” to the justice system before ordering details of the closed hearing to be released. The judge ordered limited redactions to remove discussion of safety protocols in the closely watched case.
Graf also ordered the release of audio recordings of the hearings, which were again edited.
Open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while increasing public confidence in the judicial process, media lawyers wrote in recent filings. Criminal cases in the United States have long been open to the public, which lawyers see as proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restrictions on journalists.
In a separate order, Graf said media outlets that publish or broadcast photos of court proceedings may not display Robinson’s restraints.
Earlier this month, Graf briefly halted a media broadcast of a hearing and ordered the movement of cameras after Robinson’s attorney said the broadcast showed the defendant’s shackles.
Robinson did not appear in court Monday but appeared via audio link from the Utah County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for the week of May 18, where prosecutors will present the charges against him.
