“Why not be transparent? There’s nothing to hide.” — Erica Kirk
Keeping the proceedings in all criminal justice cases open to the press and public is key to our system of constitutional laws.
Transparency helps to protect defendants from being railroaded into improper convictions just as it helps the public to judge the quality of the justice that is being meted out in their name.
There is no criminal case in which this is not true. And in the case of Tyler Robinson, the man accused in the Sept. 10 fatal shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk in Orem, it is even more so.
Kirk’s life — and death — are inseparable from political controversy, online argument and the spinning of conspiracy theories. Social media is already replete with tales of supposed betrayal and plots allegedly involving Kirk’s widow, his political allies and enemies and the flight patterns of some mysterious aircraft from Egypt.
We have had enough of these kinds of tall tales distracting us from the truth about events from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the assassination of John Kennedy to 9/11.
Getting the truth about Kirk’s death, as much as is humanly possible, and making it widely known matters to more than the accused, the victim’s loved ones and the press.
What people think about who killed Kirk, and why, and with whom (if anyone) will affect political debate and activities, up to and including the possibility of more violence, well into the future.
The Salt Lake Tribune and other Utah media institutions have argued in court against any attempt by the defense or prosecutors to hide any court filings and proceedings.
Erika Kirk has also called for the process to be public, including allowing the press to take photos in court. She notes, rightly, that photographs of her husband’s killing and her own reactions have been widely published and that she and others deserve to see and hear what happens going forward.
No one wants the media circus that takes place on the streets and sidewalks to find its way into the courtroom. Judges should and do have the power to require decorum and respect for the process inside their courts, and there is no reason to expect that it will be otherwise in the courthouse in Provo.
Our courts engage in the search for truth and justice. But that’s pointless if they don’t make public, to the maximum degree possible, what they find.
Editorials represent the opinions of The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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