Judge: Tyler Robinson can wear regular clothes during hearings, but must still have shackles

PROVO, Utah (KSL.com) — Tyler Robinson will be allowed to wear civilian clothing during all of his upcoming court hearings.

But 4th District Judge Tony Graf says he must still be in shackles for safety reasons. The judge made his rulings Monday afternoon.

Robinson’s defense team wants their client to be able to appear in court in his regular clothes and without shackles or handcuffs because of the intense media coverage his case is receiving. His attorneys fear images of him in a jail jumpsuit or a “safety smock” and in shackles could prejudice a potential jury pool.

During Monday’s virtual hearing, Robinson listened to the proceedings from the Utah County Jail, but his camera was turned off so the public could not see him.

The state says the court needs to consider the recommendations of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office whose deputies are in charge of court security.

A hearing for both sides to present their arguments was held Friday behind closed doors. Robinson was scheduled to be in the courtroom for that hearing. The judge’s decision, however, was announced Monday in a public setting.

Robinson, 22, of Washington, Washington County, is charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense, and faces a potential death sentence if convicted of shooting and killing Kirk on Sept. 10. Kirk, 31 — a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA — was sitting under a tent of an outdoor amphitheater-courtyard area at UVU, speaking in front of approximately 3,000 people, when he was shot in the neck by a gunman on the roof of the nearby Losee Center building.

Robinson was expected to make his first public appearance in court on Thursday. But it was announced Monday that the hearing was rescheduled for Jan. 16 and a second hearing on Jan. 30.