An effort by Tyler Robinson’s defense team to keep evidence against their client under wraps failed this week. The judge handling the case refused to restrict cameras from an upcoming hearing.
Why does this particular hearing, currently scheduled for next month, matter? Because prosecutors are expected to release a bunch of new evidence against Robinson.
Mr. Robinson’s defense has sought to close other hearings in the Utah trial, keep motions and evidence under seal and restrict news coverage of the case, arguing that the intense media attention will lead to negative publicity, prejudicing potential jurors and denying Mr. Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
His lawyers asked the district judge in the case, Tony Graf, to close portions of a preliminary hearing scheduled for July. The hearing is expected to unfold like a mini-trial, with the prosecution presenting evidence against Mr. Robinson to show a judge there is probable cause to go to trial.
On Monday, Judge Graf said Mr. Robinson’s lawyers failed to demonstrate that their concerns about negative publicity outweighed the public’s right to an open judicial process.
It turns out that being a murderer leads to negative publicity. Who could have guessed?
This is far from the first time this judge has rejected a request made by the defense. Earlier he rejected their request to keep cameras out of the courtroom during the trial and before that he rejected their request to make the entire prosecution team recuse itself because the daughter of one of the prosecutors was at UVU when the shooting took place. The theory behind that request seems to have been that having a daughter near a notorious murder might bias the prosecutor against murder.
But I’ll give the defense this much, no matter how many times they get swatted down, they never stop trying. In the wake of this latest ruling, they are now asking the judge to stop the trial completely so they can appeal his earlier decision about cameras in the courtroom.
Incidentally, this new delay, if granted, would also mean rescheduling the July hearing where all the evidence will be presented. In other words, having failed to keep the July hearing sealed off from the public, the defense now wants it canceled instead.
Tyler Robinson’s legal team sought a ban on cameras because they say the “overwhelming negative publicity” generated by videos and photos taken in the courtroom could prejudice him at trial. Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf ruled against them, deciding that cameras could keep rolling with strict rules and limitations.
Now, defense attorneys are asking Graf to pause the case — including canceling a five-day preliminary hearing planned for July — while they appeal the decision to the Utah Supreme Court…
Noting that four justice positions on the state’s highest court are in transition, the attorneys argued that it is unlikely the Utah Supreme Court will decide whether to hear the case prior to the July hearing date. That’s why they called for its cancellation.
At this point, the various efforts by the defense to delay everything mean that almost nine months after Charlie Kirk was murdered we still have no idea when this trial might start.
Not long ago, defense attorneys were asking for a six month delay saying there was so much evidence they would need at least that much time to go through it all. At best the trial is probably several months away.
Given that Judge Graf just delayed the preliminary hearing from later this month to early next month, my guess is that he doesn’t want to see it get delayed again. So maybe a month from now we’ll get some new information in this case. The only thing I’m certain of is that none of the new information will matter to the tribe of conspiracy theorists who have made careers out of coming up with ways to ignore the evidence in this case. Candace Owens will still be Candace Owensing and all of her hangers on and imitators will be doing their best to get some of those sweet clicks from her fans.
Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.
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