Tyler Robinson's lawyer blasts Erika Kirk, accuses her of revealing evidence at 'press conferences'

PROVO, UTAH: Tyler Robinson's defense attorney, Michael Burt, accused victim Erika Kirk and her attorney of using the courtroom to publicize evidence instead of focusing on the purpose of the preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk shooting case.

During Thursday, July 9, hearing, Burt argued that Kirk had been "adept at holding press conferences" and claimed she had portrayed prosecutors as her personal attorneys. He urged Judge Tony Graf to keep the proceedings centered on determining probable cause rather than educating the public.

Defense says hearings are being used to publicize evidence

Addressing the court, Burt said Kirk and her legal team already had access to evidence made public by prosecutors and the media and were free to discuss it outside the courtroom.

"And I want to point out to the court, Miss Kirk has been very adept at holding press conferences at which he has revealed evidence. She has represented that the state is her attorney," Burt said.

"So they're perfectly free to go outside this courtroom under the court's protective order, they're free to go out and hold press conferences and announce to the world outside the courtroom what they think the evidence is." 

Burt then accused Kirk's attorney of wasting the court's time by focusing on issues unrelated to the evidence in the case.

"Judge, at this point in the proceeding, we're asking the court to keep focus on the purpose of this hearing," he said.

He argued that much of the hearing had been spent discussing the rights of third parties instead of the evidence needed to determine probable cause.

"We spent the bulk of today and yesterday arguing about nothing to do with the evidence in the case... At some point, I think the court has to return to the purpose of these hearings, which is to expeditiously hear the evidence and then determine probable cause."

Judge denies request to display all evidence in open court

Burt's remarks came after Judge Tony Graf denied a request from Erika Kirk's attorney seeking to have all evidence shown in real time to those in the courtroom.

Graf said the court would instead use a tiered approach to determine whether exhibits would be admitted into evidence, shown only to the courtroom gallery or released publicly through the court's camera feed. 

“The court has considered the request that exhibits be displayed in real time to the courtroom," Graf said, adding that "not all exhibits will be visually displayed to the gallery."

Written briefs ordered before probable cause ruling

Rather than hearing closing arguments Friday, Judge Graf directed both the prosecution and defense to submit written briefs addressing whether prosecutors had established probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.

The court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on September 1 before deciding whether Tyler Robinson will stand trial in the Charlie Kirk shooting case.