Cooke: Transparency Should Not Be Sacrificed in Charlie Kirk Court Proceedings

Mehek Cooke, the Daily Signal’s senior national security and legal analyst, argued that transparency must remain a central priority in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, following a ruling by a Utah judge that an upcoming hearing in the case must remain open to the public.

Judge Tony Graf ruled Monday that the upcoming preliminary hearing in the case involving alleged assassin Tyler Robinson should remain open to the public and the media. The defense had asked the court to close portions of the hearing and seal certain evidence, arguing that extensive publicity in the case could taint the future jury pool.

Appearing on Newsmax Monday, Cooke acknowledged the concern but said the defense faces a high legal bar when seeking to limit public access to court proceedings.

“The defense is just arguing that any prejudicial information can immediately taint a jury pool,” Cooke said. “But this is where the bar is so high, because there is already Supreme Court precedent that the defense has a very high bar to actually convince a judge that this is a case where we should not have an open hearing.”

Judge Graf rejected the request, ruling that the defense did not demonstrate a realistic likelihood that a public hearing would prejudice Robinson’s right to a fair trial.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 6–10. Monday’s ruling does not mean that every exhibit in the case will be publicly broadcast or freely distributed. Prosecutors have agreed that access to certain sensitive exhibits should be restricted, including some forensic material, surveillance videos, witness recordings, autopsy findings, and alleged text messages showing Robinson appearing to confess.

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Cooke emphasized that Robinson is entitled to a fair trial, while also arguing that the court should consider the public interest in transparency and timely proceedings.

The defense has now asked Judge Graf to pause the case while it seeks appellate review of his earlier decision allowing cameras in the courtroom.

Cooke argue that Judge Graf should not grant the request. “This is where it is a fair and speedy trial, but the defense does not want speedy,” Cooke said. “The defense wants to continue to stretch this out because they are looking for an iota of evidence that can potentially release Robinson.”

Cooke said the defense appears to be focused heavily on procedural arguments because, in her view, it does not have a strong substantive legal posture.

“What can they do to delay the case? What small wins can they have?” Cooke asked. “This is a strategy, I believe, to take the death penalty off the table so that they can create reasonable doubt.”

Cooke concluded that the court should protect the defendant’s constitutional rights without unnecessarily closing the proceedings to the public or a delay.

“This can be done in a speedy manner, and transparency should be allowed,” Cooke said. “We need to make sure that we have justice.”

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson should he be convicted of Kirk’s Sept. 10, 2025, murder. Robinson, 23, is accused of firing a single round from a rooftop that struck ​Kirk as he debated with students at Utah Valley University in Orem.    

Reuters contributed to this report.