- Prosecutors oppose delaying Tyler Robinson's capital murder case.
- Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, seeks to halt proceedings over allowing cameras in the courtroom.
- Court will hear contempt and hearsay arguments Friday; preliminary hearing set for July.
PROVO — Prosecutors in the Tyler Robinson capital murder case say unless the Utah Supreme Court agrees to take up the issue of cameras in the courtroom, there is no need to put the case on hold.
Robinson, 23, is accused of shooting and killing political activist Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. He is charged with capital murder and faces a potential death sentence if convicted.
On May 29, Robinson notified the court that he is appealing 4th District Judge Tony Graf's decision to allow electronic media in the courtroom during the preliminary hearing to the state's high court. And until the Utah Supreme Court decides whether to take up the issue, Robinson wants all proceedings in the case stayed, including the July preliminary hearing.
The Utah County Attorney's Office recently filed its opposition to the motion, stating that Robinson "has not satisfied any of the three elements for obtaining a stay. (He) cannot show that a stay is necessary to prevent additional prejudice from media coverage of his preliminary hearing, when this court has already found that he failed to show that a public preliminary hearing would prejudice him at all," prosecutors stated.
In order to stay a proceeding pending the potential appeal of an interlocutory order, Robinson must show that he has a likelihood of prevailing on appeal, there is a likelihood of irreparable harm to Robinson that outweighs the harm to any other party, and that the stay is not adverse to the public interest.
The state argues that Robinson has not provided adequate evidence of satisfying the first two conditions, and "hasn't even addressed, and therefore hasn't shown, that a stay is not adverse to the public interest. On the contrary, a stay would substantially undermine the public's interest in the prompt disposition of criminal cases," prosecutors stated. "(Robinson's) request for a stay is grounded in the faulty premise that electronic media coverage of the upcoming preliminary hearing will 'inevitably' prejudice his right to a fair trial."
Robinson is scheduled to be back in court on Friday. During that hearing, Graf will hold a full evidentiary hearing to determine if the Utah County Attorney's Office should be held in contempt of court for talking to the media. He will also hear arguments on whether hearsay from law enforcers who are expected to be called to the witness stand during Robinson's preliminary hearing, currently scheduled for July 6-10, will be allowed.
