Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a Utah campus event in September, appeared in person for the first time on Thursday at Provo’s Fourth District Court.

Shackled but dressed in business attire, Robinson faced a hearing dominated by arguments over media access in a case that has drawn extraordinary national attention.

Prosecutors, seeking the death penalty, opposed defense requests to ban cameras and restrict public records, insisting transparency was vital given the politically charged nature of the slaying. Judge Tony Graf, who previously mandated street clothes for Robinson to avoid prejudicial imagery, denied a full blackout but relocated cameras to minimize bias.

The hearing revisited security protocols debated in October, when Graf prohibited filming restraints after defense attorneys warned jurors could be swayed by images of Robinson in shackles. Media coalitions pressed for unredacted transcripts, citing public interest.

Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA and a staunch Trump ally, was killed on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University during his “Prove Me Wrong” debate series on mass shootings. Video captured him clutching his neck after a sniper shot from a nearby roof, with the bullet grazing bystanders. Robinson surrendered the next day after confessing to his father, who contacted authorities through a youth pastor linked to U.S. Marshals. Charging documents cite DNA evidence on the weapon and incriminating texts to his roommate.

Robinson has pleaded not guilty to seven counts, including murder and attempted murder. The case has sparked debates over campus security, free speech, and political violence. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has demanded full openness: “We deserve cameras in there.”

Judge Graf scheduled a preliminary hearing for January 2026, with trial likely later in the year and Robinson remains detained without bail.