Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect in the shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, will not be making a physical appearance at the Provo courthouse for a scheduled hearing later this week.
During a virtual court session on Monday, Robinson made a brief off-camera appearance. The judge addressed his request to wear regular clothes in court for future proceedings.
Judge Tony Graf approved Robinson’s request to wear civilian attire in court but denied his plea to attend hearings without restraints. Meanwhile, a decision on the prosecution’s motion for all non-evidentiary hearings to be conducted remotely was postponed. The judge also mentioned that both parties could file a new motion to limit the presence of news cameras in the courtroom.
The judge noted that the originally planned hearing for October 30 has been postponed, allowing more time for the discovery process and to review motions submitted by the lawyers.
A screenshot from the court’s live stream showed an image placeholder labeled “Utah County Jail” in place of Robinson’s face. The accused has opted for remote participation in his last two public hearings, avoiding any visual appearance.
The judge instructed that Robinson’s legal team must provide jail authorities with appropriate street clothing at least 72 hours before any upcoming court dates.
“The court finds that Mr. Robinson’s right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of permitting civilian attire,” Graf said during the 20-minute hearing. However, he said, due to safety concerns and the seriousness of the charges against him, the defendant should still wear minimal restraints in court.
Robinson spoke only briefly during the appearance, in which he appeared remotely from jail and did not show his face.
This split image shows suspected assassin Tyler James Robinson, left, and victim Charlie Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA, on the right. (Gov. Spencer Cox’s office; AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
When the judge asked if he could hear the proceedings, Robinson replied, “Yes, I can.”
In Utah, preliminary hearings can be delayed for months in cases involving serious felonies, sometimes up to a year, Skye Lazaro, a Salt Lake City-based defense attorney, told Fox News Digital earlier this month.
The hearing gives the defense a chance to cross-examine witnesses and force prosecutors to show evidence in court that establishes probable cause to bring charges in the alleged crime.
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event in Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters)
Robinson faces a top charge of aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty.
He is accused of climbing onto a campus rooftop with his grandfather’s Mauser .30-06 and shooting Kirk once in the neck.
Tyler Robinson appears virtually in Utah court on Sept. 16, 2025, to face charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts)
Authorities have previously alleged that they found the suspected murder weapon with his DNA on it and incriminating text messages in which he allegedly admitted to the crime to friends and family.
They also have video from the campus security system that allegedly shows him coming and going before and after the slaying. Additional evidence against him is expected to emerge at the preliminary hearing, once it is held.
Robinson is due back in court on Jan. 16, 2026, and again on Jan. 30. Both hearings are scheduled for 1 p.m. MT.
