MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The defense and prosecution in the Charlie Kirk murder case in Utah sparred yesterday over whether interviews given by accused killer Tyler Robinson, his family and his friends should be made public. Prosecutors are presenting evidence to convince a judge to try Robinson for murdering the conservative activist at a speaking event in September. KUER's Sean Higgins has this report.
SEAN HIGGINS, BYLINE: The first two days of the hearing revolved around setting the scene and evidence from the day Kirk was killed on September 10. Day 3 focused on evidence gathered after Robinson turned himself in to police. The day after Kirk was fatally shot, State Bureau of Investigation agent Brian Davis was called to St. George, a town more than 260 miles away from Utah Valley University, where Kirk was shot.
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BRIAN DAVIS: We received information that an individual was turning himself in or had turned himself - was going to turn himself in to police in regard to his involvement with the incident, the shooting on UVU campus.
HIGGINS: When Davis arrived, he was told a person came around 9 p.m. to turn themselves in. He testified to a Provo courtroom that that person was Tyler Robinson. Robinson's attorneys disagreed with the prosecution on what, if any, portions of a police interview with his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, should be played in the courtroom. For the first time during the hearing, Kirk family attorney Jeffrey Neiman spoke to the court. He made it clear that the family is in favor of releasing all evidence to the public without redactions.
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JEFFREY NEIMAN: To not be transparent here, to not be open, to not let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system. And that's not what anybody wants. That's not what any of us believe should happen here.
HIGGINS: Defense attorney Richard Novak pushed back.
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RICHARD NOVAK: With all due respect to the Kirk family and with all due respect to the media and with all due respect to the public, the No. 1 concern in this proceeding is Mr. Robinson's right to a fair trial.
HIGGINS: He said that means a future jury should not be exposed to information before a trial that could influence their decision. After an hourlong recess to examine suggested redactions, District Judge Tony Graf ultimately ruled that the prosecution should return today with an edited video to protect Robinson's constitutional rights to a fair trial. Robinson has yet to enter a plea to the charges against him. Judge Graf will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial at the end of the hearing.
For NPR News, I'm Sean Higgins in Salt Lake City. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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