Featured Image Credit: FBI
Topics: News, US News, Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, Bryan Kohberger
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: News, US News, Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, Bryan Kohberger
Tyler Robinson's lawyers have made a disturbing justification for an odd request to authorities ahead of a court hearing.
Tyler Robinson was arrested and taken into police custody for the alleged assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last month.
Kirk was shot and killed while he was speaking publicly at a Utah Valley University event on September 10.
A massive manhunt then got underway and the FBI was able to announce that they had made an arrest for the person they believed was responsible less than two days later.
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Robinson has since been charged with seven offences, including aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.
While officials are yet to give a potential motive for the killing of Kirk, if Robinson is convicted, he could face capital punishment. Utah is one of five states that still use a firing squad as a method of capital punishment.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea on the charges he faces. He has remained in police custody since his arrest and requested his upcoming court hearing.
The suspect reportedly asked a Utah judge if his shackles and prison clothes could be swapped out for civilian clothes in court.
He argued that the now convicted Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger was granted the same break.
Lawyers for the 22-year-old Robinson argued that photos showing him in a prison jumpsuit and restraints could make potential jurors think he’s guilty and ‘deserving’ of the death penalty.
They claimed this would ultimately jeopardize his chance at a fair trial. These points were conveyed in a 21-page motion filed Thursday (October 9) in Utah’s 4th District Court.
The filing, directed at District Judge Tony Graf, read: “In the face of worldwide scrutiny, permitting Mr Robinson to wear civilian clothing for court appearances is a minor inconvenience compared to the already present concerns with securing a fair trial before an impartial jury.
“With each development in the case generating thousands of articles and comments online, the likelihood of potential jurors seeing and drawing conclusions regarding Mr. Robinson’s guilt and or deserved punishment from obvious signs of pretrial incarceration will only increase.”
It continued: “Given the pervasive media coverage in this case, the repeated and ubiquitous display of Mr. Robinson in jail garb, shackles, and a suicide vest will undoubtedly be viewed by prospective jurors and will inevitably lead to prosecutive juror perception that he is guilty and deserving of death.”