Judge in Charlie Kirk killing case denies some efforts to limit media access

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The Utah man accused of killing Charlie Kirk was back in court Friday as a state judge denied some efforts by his attorneys to restrict public access to court documents while not ruling out the possibility of closing portions of an upcoming hearing.

The outcome sets the stage for an April hearing in which attorneys for Tyler Robinson will make their case to exclude TV cameras, microphones and photographers from the courtroom.

Judge Tony Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by defense attorneys that the heightened media attention could undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Prosecutors, Kirk’s widow and attorneys for news organizations have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.

Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. They have said DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

Attorneys on Friday debated whether the defense's written request to exclude cameras, which was classified by the court as private, should be made public.

Graf said the defense failed to make its case to keep the motion private but that he will continue “balancing all the factors” when deciding which portions of the upcoming hearing may be closed.

Staci Visser, an attorney for Robinson, told the judge before the ruling that the defense is not arguing in the court of public opinion.

“There seems to be an idea that flooding the public sphere with information from this courtroom will somehow dispel conspiracy theories or shift public narratives. That, in and of itself, is concerning to the defense,” Visser said. “All we should be worried about is protecting what happens in this courtroom.”

Robinson’s defense team went on to say that the April 17 hearing will involve discussions about prejudicial pretrial publicity, such as evidence that has yet to be admitted, personal opinions about guilt or public statements that would otherwise be inadmissible in court. Revisiting that in open court could end up "reinflicting a wound” to Robinson's rights, defense attorney Michael Burt said.

Christopher Ballard, a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, dismissed those arguments. He said careful questioning during jury selection and tools like expanding the jury pool can ensure a defendant gets a fair trial.

“So just saying that this is a content tornado or there's been a barrage of media coverage doesn't necessarily mean that there is going to be prejudice to the defendant,” Ballard said.

Ballard noted that most of the evidence that will be discussed in April is already public, so most of the hearing should be open.

Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, have been fighting to preserve media access in the case. Michael Judd, an attorney for the news media, urged the judge to keep the upcoming hearing entirely open.

Media access has been a focal point of several recent hearings, with the judge placing temporary restrictions on local TV stations for showing Robinson's shackles in violation of a court order and filming close-up shots that might allow viewers to interpret what he was discussing with his attorneys.

The judge also has prevented full video recordings of Kirk’s shooting from being shown in court after defense attorneys argued the graphic footage would interfere with a fair trial. An estimated 3,000 people attended the outdoor rally to hear Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism.

Attorney Michael Burt returns to his seat after addressing Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court, on Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz /The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf speaks during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court, on Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz /The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

Defense attorney Staci Visser, left, and defendant Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, attend a hearing in 4th District Court, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

Prosecuting and defense attorneys and defendant Tyler Robinson, right, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, attend a hearing in 4th District Court, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

Prosecutor Chad Grunander, center, listens, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

Attorney Richard Novak, left, and defendant Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, attend a hearing, in 4th District Court, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool

Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf presides, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)

FILE - Tyler Robinson, who is accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court, in Provo, Utah, Dec. 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

FILE - Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf presides over a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court, Feb. 3, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans released cornerback L'Jarius Sneed on Friday after two disappointing seasons in a move that frees up more salary cap space for a franchise that has been investing heavily in free agents in the new NFL year.

Sneed played only 12 games combined in 2024 and 2025 without a single interception and was placed on injured reserve in October.

The Titans gave the two-time Super Bowl champion a four-year contract, making him the NFL’s fifth-highest paid cornerback, in March 2024 after a trade with Kansas City. Sneed's deal gave him an average of $19.4 million as part of the Titans' last big spending spree.

Tennessee already has replaced Sneed in the new league year. The Titans signed Alontae Taylor from New Orleans, Cor'Dale Flott from the New York Giants and Joshua Williams from Kansas City.

Tennessee started the NFL's legal tampering period Monday by agreeing to deals worth at least $270 million and just keep adding players to a roster that features only 18 draft picks selected by the team. General manager Mike Borgonzi can clear more salary cap space if needed.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is the Titans' highest-paid player on the roster with the highest cap hit at $26.4 million, according to Spotrac.com. It would cost Tennessee a $13 million cap hit to release the 31-year-old Ridley, who had one 100-yard receiving game last year in seven games before a broken leg ended his season.

Ridley has just four combined touchdown catches in two seasons since signing with Tennessee. He has a combined 81 catches for 1,320 yards receiving.

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FILE - Tennessee Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38) looks on during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Samantha Chow, File)