A Utah prosecutor denied having a conflict of interest during a recent hearing in the case against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Robinson’s defense team is trying to remove the prosecutor's office from the case because the adult daughter of Deputy County Attorney Chad Grunander attended the campus rally where Kirk was shot and killed.

Both Grunander and his daughter testified before Judge Tony Graf. Grunander stated that his daughter’s presence at the scene did not influence the decision to seek the death penalty. County Attorney Jeffrey Gray also testified, noting that he had considered capital punishment even before Robinson was arrested. Gray explained that he announced the death penalty early because the case had gained so much public attention.

Robinson’s lawyers asked the judge to block graphic videos and ban cameras from the courtroom, arguing that intense media coverage could prevent a fair trial. However, Kirk’s widow, the prosecution, and several media outlets urged the judge to keep the proceedings open. An attorney for Erika Kirk warned that a lack of transparency would lead to misinformation and damage public trust in the legal system.

Legal experts noted that heavy media coverage can sometimes bias potential jurors. Robinson has not yet entered a plea, though prosecutors say DNA evidence links him to the killing. He also reportedly sent a text message to his partner stating that he targeted Kirk because he "had enough of his hatred.