The defense team for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, asked a Utah judge Monday to hold parts of an upcoming preliminary hearing in private and to seal specific exhibits, saying sensitive material could unfairly taint a future jury now that cameras have been allowed in the courtroom.

RadarOnline reported that Robinson, 22, who has not yet entered a plea in the Sept. 10 killing on the Utah Valley University campus, faces prosecutors who contend the motion is untimely and fails to identify precisely which testimony or documents should be sealed.

Defense attorneys told Judge Tony Graf Jr. they want testimony and exhibits withheld from public broadcast and online dissemination at the preliminary hearing, including communications recovered from the Discord app, text messages, video of the shooting and a handwritten note. They argued that some material presented at a preliminary hearing is often later ruled inadmissible at trial and that widely circulated pretrial evidence could prejudice potential jurors.

"A preliminary hearing is not a trial," defense counsel said in court filings as per AOL, noting prosecutors sometimes introduce hearsay, police summaries and investigative details that would not be admitted before a jury at trial. The lawyers said sealing the items and limiting camera access would protect Robinson's right to a fair trial and reduce potential grounds for appeal.

Prosecutors countered that the defense filed the request too late and that its broad descriptions do not give the court workable specifics on which evidence merits secrecy. State attorneys also denied recent defense assertions that forensic testing undermines the case tying a bullet to a rifle associated with Robinson.

Earlier this month, the defense publicized an ATF finding that it said showed the bullet recovered at autopsy could not be identified as having been fired from the rifle linked to Robinson.

Prosecutors responded that the ATF report actually says the fragment "could not be identified or excluded" as having been fired from that weapon — language they contend the defense misstated when speaking to the media. The exchange follows months of contentious pretrial proceedings.

In February, Judge Graf denied a motion to disqualify the entire Utah County prosecutor's office after defense lawyers argued one prosecutor had an emotional connection to the case because an adult child attended the same campus event where Kirk was shot. The court ruled the prosecutor had no personal conflict because the child was not a material witness or victim, and most of the child's knowledge was hearsay.

Robinson's request for sealed proceedings comes after Graf permitted cameras in the courtroom, a move the defense earlier opposed. The judge has not yet ruled on the new motion to limit public access to specific testimony and exhibits at the preliminary hearing. Court officials say hearings and schedules may be adjusted as the parties brief the issue.