Kirk shooting suspect permitted to wear plain clothes in court

Madlin Mekelburg, Bloomberg News on Oct 27, 2025

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A judge in Utah said the 22-year-old man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk can wear civilian clothes in court rather than his jail fatigues, but he’ll have to appear with some form of physical restraints.

A defense lawyer for Tyler James Robinson argued that allowing the suspect to appear in plain clothes was necessary to “maintain the presumption of innocence” and protect his right to a fair trial. Judge Tony F. Graf agreed during a virtual court hearing Monday.

But Graf said the serious nature of the charges and the emotional nature of the proceedings “raise the risk of disruption,” so Robinson must wear the “least restrictive restraints necessary to maintain safety.” The judge also barred the media from taking photos or videos of Robinson’s restraints before, during or after court appearances.

Robinson, who has yet to enter a plea in the case, faces a possible death penalty in connection with the shooting death of Kirk last month.

Discussions about court attire and restraints for incarcerated defendants aren’t unusual. In other cases, lawyers have argued that forcing a defendant to appear in court wearing a prison uniform and shackles can prejudice a jury against them.

In another high-profile murder case, Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting United Healthcare executive Brian Thompson late last year in New York, was originally permitted to wear a sweater, shirt and dress slacks to court. That changed in March after court officers said they discovered two heart-shaped notes hidden in his socks. Mangione has pleaded not guilty.

Media attention

Robinson’s case also has garnered significant public interest. His lawyer, Kathryn Nester, argued in court filings that media coverage of the defendant’s initial court date “relentlessly focused” on his appearance and demeanor, as he appeared virtually from the Utah County jail while wearing an anti-suicide vest.

Robinson is scheduled to appear in court for the first time Jan. 16 and again on Jan. 30. One of those dates will be used for arguments on whether to waive a preliminary hearing, where a judge decides if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. The so-called waiver hearing has been postponed multiple times to give the defense more time to review evidence.

Robinson was charged with first-degree aggravated murder, felony discharge of a gun causing injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.

If convicted, Robinson faces 25 years to life in prison if he avoids the death penalty. Robinson isn’t expected to enter a plea in the case until the court schedules an arraignment. He monitored Monday’s court session virtually from jail.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. He was known for starting Turning Point USA, a group dedicated to rallying young voters to conservative causes, and had a key role in energizing young voters to support President Donald Trump’s bids for office.

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(With assistance from Patricia Hurtado.)