Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept.10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty.
Robinson, 22, arrived amid heavy security, shackled at the waist, wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks.
Early in the proceedings, state District Court Judge Tony Graf briefly stopped a media livestream of the hearing and ordered the camera be moved after Robinson's attorneys said the stream showed the defendant's shackles in violation of a courtroom order.
Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations of the order issued in October, which bars media from showing images of Robinson in restraints or anywhere in the courtroom except sitting at the defense table.
“This court takes this very seriously," Graf said. “While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case.”
The warning comes as Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by Robinson's attorneys that the swarm of media attention could interfere with a fair trial.
Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office have asked to ban cameras in the courtroom, but Graf has not yet ruled on the request.
Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, are fighting to preserve media access in the case.
Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson's courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes during pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns. Graf also prohibited filming or photographing Robinson's restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice potential jurors.
