Charlie Kirk tries to dress in civilian clothes in court as an accused murderer

A lawyer for a person accused of murder Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA A Utah judge is asking to allow him to appear in plainclothes and unrestricted at all court proceedings, arguing that massive media coverage and public commentary have already threatened his right to a fair trial.

In a 20-page filing filed Oct. 22, Tyler Robinson’s legal team said the case has become a “storm of content,” describing it as a social media storm of commentary, speculation and viral videos that make any new images of the defendant in prison garb potentially devastating to future jurors.

Fox News has confirmed that Judge Tony Graf ordered the state and Motion of Utah County Sheriff to classify their response as “private,” meaning the public cannot access the state’s response to Robinson’s motion through the court docket.

Attorneys said their filing included information from the court’s director of security, Chris Palmer, outlining specific courthouse security measures in Robinson’s case.

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Booking photo for Tyler Robinson, 22, suspect in the Utah killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. (Utah Gov. Spencer Cox)

A closed hearing was held on the docket on Friday morning. While no public details have been attached to the entry, multiple sources confirm to Fox News that it is related to a defense request that Robinson be allowed to appear in shackles and civilian clothes at all personal proceedings.

The hearing was scheduled to close because it was to cover specific security protocols for Robinson and the courthouse, sources confirmed. The next open hearing in the case is scheduled for Oct. 30 at 10 a.m., when Robinson is expected to appear in person.

The defense cited extensive coverage of Robinson’s initial court appearance, including television footage showing him wearing a bullet-proof or suicide vest during his first hearing.

The motion also lists statements from public officials, including President Donald Trump, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and federal law enforcement leaders, who have publicly discussed the investigation and expressed opinions about Robinson’s guilt. Possible death sentence.

According to the filing, Trump announced shortly after Robinson’s arrest that authorities had a “high degree of certainty” about the suspect and that “I hope he gets the death penalty.”

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Utah Governor Spencer Cox speaks with FBI Director Kash Patel at a news conference following the killing of political activist Charlie Kirk, as investigators release images of the suspect. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images; FBI)

That same day, the motion notes, Cox “dramatically” opened a press conference by announcing, “We got him,” before outlining the details of the ongoing investigation.

Defense attorneys argue that such public comments, along with frequently broadcast images of Robinson in custody, have “polluted the waters of justice” and risk irreversibly biasing potential jurors.

Filing Deck Vs. Missouri (2005) is heavily relied upon, a US Supreme Court decision barring the use of restraints in court unless there is a specific, case-by-case security justification. Advocates say the rights given the constant livestreaming and online sharing of court footage extend beyond jury trials to any public court appearance, including pretrial hearings.

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Tyler Robinson literally appeared in a Utah court on September 16, 2025 to face charges for the murder of Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts)

The team also challenged the Utah County Sheriff’s position that standard security policies are automatically applied in high-profile cases, calling such policies unconstitutional without individualized findings.

That’s what prosecutors and the sheriff’s office have suggested Robinson can be seen in the distance To avoid public exposure. The defense counters that the statute does not require a defendant to choose between personal attendance and a presumption of innocence, violating Robinson’s right to be present in person for all phases of his capital trial.

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While objecting to the restrictions, Robinson’s lawyers agree with the sheriff that the court should limit or prohibit video and photographic coverage of the proceedings. They argue that television imagery contributes to sensationalism and undermines the ability to impanel an impartial jury.

Fox News’ Lee Ross contributed to this report.

Stephanie Price covers missing persons, homicide and immigration crimes. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.