A Utah man accused of assassinating conservative superstar Charlie Kirk smirked as he made his first public appearance in court. 

Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared inside a Utah courtroom flanked by his legal team as they pushed to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case.

It was the first time Robinson was seen in person after making previous court appearances via video or audio feed from jail. 

He was seen smiling as he engaged in deep conversation with his legal team before the hearing started.

As he entered the courtroom he smiled at the people sitting in a row reserved for family, where his mother teared up and wiped her eyes with a tissue. 

Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff´s Office have asked Judge Tony Graf to ban cameras in the courtroom. 

Shortly after proceedings started, Judge Graf ordered all press and public to leave the room. The defense asked the judge to allow Robinson’s parents to stay, which was denied. 

Graf has already made allowances to protect Robinson’s presumption of innocence before a trial, agreeing that the case has drawn ‘extraordinary’ public attention. 

Kirk was fatally shot in front of a crowd of hundreds of people on September 10 while holding a live debate event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

The judge held a closed hearing on October 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson’s courtroom attire and security protocols. 

Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, the suspect is allowed to wear street clothes in court during his pretrial hearings but must be restrained for security. 

Graf also prohibited media from filming or photographing his restraints after his attorneys argued images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice jurors.

Michael Judd, an attorney for the media coalition, has urged Graf to let the news organizations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations.

The media presence at Utah hearings is already limited, with judges often designating one photographer and one videographer to document a hearing and share their images with other news organizations. 

Additional journalists can typically attend to listen and take notes, as can members of the public.

Judd wrote in recent filings that an open court ‘safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process’ while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. 

Criminal cases in the US have long been open to the public, which he argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters.

Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has called for full transparency, saying: ‘We deserve to have cameras in there.’ 

Robinson’s legal team says his pretrial publicity reaches as far as the White House, with Donald Trump announcing soon after Robinson’s arrest: ‘With a high degree of certainty, we have him,’ and ‘I hope he gets the death penalty.’

Robinson’s attorney Kathy Nester raised concern that digitally altered versions of his initial court photo have spread widely, creating misinformation about the case.

Some altered images show Robinson crying or having an outburst in court, neither of which happened.

Robinson first appeared before the court system in September in the week after Kirk’s assassination. 

He appeared disheveled and expressionless as the judge read out the charges against him which include capital murder. 

Authorities say Robinson held a ‘leftist ideology’ and may have been ‘radicalized’ online before he was arrested for killing the MAGA influencer.