PROVO, UT — Attorneys for the man charged in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk are asking a judge to block videos of Kirk’s murder from being shown during a court hearing, arguing the footage would prejudice the proceedings.
The videos, which captured the September 10 shooting as Kirk addressed a crowd on a Utah college campus, spread rapidly on social media and drew millions of views in the hours after the attack.
Defense lawyers filed motions asking state District Judge Tony Graf to prohibit the videos from being played during a hearing scheduled for Tuesday and to bar television and still cameras from the courtroom. The attorneys contend that extensive media coverage by what they describe as “highly biased” news outlets could taint the case and undermine the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Prosecutors opposed the request, joined by attorneys representing media organizations and Kirk’s widow, who urged the court to keep the proceedings open to the public.
“In the absence of transparency, speculation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories are likely to proliferate, eroding public confidence in the judicial process,” attorneys for Erika Kirk wrote in a court filing Monday. “Such an outcome serves neither the interests of justice nor those of Ms. Kirk.”
Judge Graf has not yet ruled on the motions.
