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The 22-year-old appeared in court via video link for the first time on Tuesday local time, where he was charged with aggravated murder, discharging a firearm, and multiple other offences over the September 10 shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
Robinson is being held without bail, with Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray confirming prosecutors would pursue the death penalty.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” he said.
“Because we are seeking the death penalty, the defendant will continue to be held without bail in the Utah County Jail.”
Robinson was dressed in a green sleeveless vest, designed to prevent him from taking his life. The vest is standard issue for high-profile prisoners at the Utah County Security Centre, court officials said.
Luigi Mangione – who is charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York on December 4, and also could face the death penalty – wore a similar blue vest in his booking photo last year.
Psychologist and expert on suicide in jail, Lisa Boeksy, previously explained to CNN that inmates on safety watch are “given tear-resistant bedding, oftentimes no toilet paper, no towels, no extra clothing”, limiting access to anything they could potentially tie around their necks.
Lindsay M Hayes, also an expert in suicide prevention in correctional facilities, added that inmates can also be stripped of their clothes and forced to wear a safety smock.
The heavy, quilted garments can’t be used by the wearer to hang themselves, he said.
“If it’s made correctly it can’t be torn, it can’t be wrapped up into a ligature,” Mr Hayes said.
A report released by the US Justice Department last January found that 187 inmates in federal prison died from suicide in the eight-year period between 2014 and 2021.
Then-DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz said at the time the statistics “identified numerous operational and managerial deficiencies, which created unsafe conditions prior to and at the time of a number of these deaths”.
“It is deeply disturbing … that the majority of Bureau of Prison’s non-medical deaths in custody could have been prevented or mitigated by greater compliance with BOP policy, better staffing, and increased mental health and substance abuse treatment,” Democrat and member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin, said.
“Accountability across the Bureau is necessary and long overdue.”
The Utah County Sheriff Department said in a statement over the weekend that Robinson would remain on a special watch status so that authorities could “keep a close eye on him” until his mental health had been evaluated.
Once cleared, Robinson will continue with the classification process to determine where he will be housed while in custody.
“He will continue to be monitored by mental, medical, and custody staff throughout the duration of his stay,” the department said.
It added that it had not been made specifically aware of any suicidal comments or concerns regarding Robinson.
After surveillance photos were released of the suspected shooter, Robinson was recognised by his parents as a person of interest. When contacted by his father via phone about the images, Robinson “implied that he planned to take his own life”, Mr Gray told the court.
“Robinson’s parents were able to convince him to meet at their home,” he continued.
“As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that he was the shooter and stated that he couldn’t go to jail and just wanted to end it.”
Robinson’s parents urged him to speak with a family friend, who was a retired deputy sheriff and convinced him to turn himself in.
His next hearing is scheduled for September 29.
