“The conclusion of the preliminary hearing marks an important step forward in the pursuit of justice for Charlie.”
Following the week-long preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson, the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk in a September shooting, Kirk’s family said the proceeding was an “important step forward in the pursuit of justice for Charlie.”
The statement from the family read, “The conclusion of the preliminary hearing marks an important step forward in the pursuit of justice for Charlie. Our family is grateful for the prayers, support, and kindness that has been extended to us, especially through these unimaginably painful and emotionally demanding proceedings.”
“As difficult as these last few days have been, it brings our family comfort to know that the world has witnessed the overwhelming evidence of what occurred to Charlie that day,” the statement continued. “Nothing will ever undo the loss of our beloved Charlie. As this case moves into its next phase, we pray that truth will continue to be heard through a process that is fair, transparent, and grounded in the facts.”
During the hearing, the family urged for transparency in the case, and for the family to be able to view all exhibits shown during the proceedings.
Attorney Jeffrey Neiman, representing the Kirk family, wrote in a filing late Friday, “For ten months, the Victim’s Family has waited for this preliminary hearing. Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, and his grieving parents traveled to this courtroom for one reason: to be present at these proceedings and to bear witness to the evidence concerning the death of their husband and son. At certain points throughout the preliminary hearing, the Kirk family sat in the room while evidence was admitted but not presented for their viewing. They were present in body, yet denied the very thing their presence was meant to secure: their ability to meaningfully observe the preliminary hearing.”
Neiman said the position of the victim’s family was that, “At a minimum, every exhibit entered into evidence during the preliminary hearing must be visible to every person lawfully present in the courtroom. To receive evidence in a manner shielded from those seated in the courtroom—as happened today—is not transparency. And in the absence of transparency, speculation and conspiracy theories related to the tragic assassination of Mr. Kirk will continue to proliferate in the public domain, breeding doubt and distrust in the judicial system. This is not what anyone should want.”
Neiman had argued earlier on Wednesday during discussions on the redactions of portions of Lance Twiggs’ video testimony, “The Kirk family believes strongly that if the evidence is being admitted in this preliminary hearing, it should be made public for the world to see. No redactions. This court has tools at its disposal to make sure the defendant receives a fair trial.”
“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, and we’d ask the court to consider the position of the family in making its ultimate decision.”
Ultimately, Judge Graf ruled on Thursday that he would be moving forward with the same procedure that had been in place, with each exhibit being considered for admission, being considered for display within the courtroom, and being considered for publication to the media via the cameras in the courtroom.
