Preliminary Hearing - Jul 9 2026

All right, as you've probably come to expect, I do need to read the following as it relates to today's preliminary hearing.

The court is mindful of the safety and well-being of all parties, counsel, witnesses, court staff, and members of the public who may be present.

The court is also mindful of its duty to protect and uphold the constitutional rights of both Mr. Robinson and Ms. Kirk.

To serve those important interests, the court reminds all persons who will be in attendance that portable electronic devices will not be permitted in the courtroom or on the fourth floor.

And this prohibition does not apply to legal counsel and support staff for the defense or the state or the media in this matter or the equipment permitted under any controlling electronic media coverage order and includes the counsel for victim representative Ms. Kirk.

I do ask the parties, the attorneys, if you will join me and turning off your ringer to ensure that we do not have any eruptions.

So I am turning off my ringer and I invite you to do the same.

Every person who is in attendance today and every day will be afforded the dignity and respect due to them And pursuant to the standing decorum order by the court, all spectators shall be quiet, civil and orderly.

Spectators shall not engage in any distracting, disruptive, provocative, disrespectful, uncivil, or threatening behavior of any kind.

All right.

As we begin this morning, I wish to I've taken a lot of time to think about the comments made by the parties yesterday.

And there were additional briefings and a motion filed last night.

And the court took the necessary time to readdress it and look at it and be prepared for this morning's proceedings.

While I recognize especially how precious our time is.

I also recognize that I need to be prepared for everything that's before me.

And I took the time this morning to review what was filed since we adjourned yesterday until we've came back on record.

One of the motions filed last night was filed by Ms. Erica Kirk's attorney.

And I wish to address that.

And I realize that the parties may not have had a chance for defense or prosecution had a chance to respond to that.

And before I address that, I wish to turn the time to you if you need the benefit of the record as it relates to what was filed by the attorney for victim representative Erica Kirk to this date.

Good morning, Your Honor.

Christopher Ballard on behalf of the state.

We have reviewed that filing and we believe that it fully accords with our position in our filing this morning that publishing exhibits to the courtroom is entirely appropriate and indeed honors the victim representative's right to be present at this hearing.

Thank you, Mr. Ballard.

To defense, Mr.