For the first time since the assassination of Charlie Kirk shocked the nation, the man accused of pulling the trigger — Tyler Robinson — walked into a courtroom today with cameras, reporters, and millions online watching his every move.
And what those cameras captured has now become the center of a nationwide debate.
Robinson appeared well-dressed, calm, and noticeably free of visible restraints as he took his seat for an hour-long hearing. He didn’t speak. The judge did. The attorneys did. But Robinson himself remained silent — leaving only his face, posture, and reactions to speak for him.
To understand what those reactions might reveal, KUTV asked a renowned body-language expert, Scott Rouse, to break down every second of the footage.
His assessment?
One expression stood out. And it wasn’t remorse.
A SMILE THAT SHOCKED THE ROOM
As the hearing began, cameras caught Robinson sharing a few quiet moments with his attorneys — and even offering them what looked like a light smile.
To most viewers, it was jarring.
To Scott Rouse, it was a red flag.
“That’s the only thing I looked at and went, ‘Oof… he shouldn’t be doing that.’”
Rouse, who trains law enforcement, interrogators, and attorneys on reading behavioral cues, said there is no scenario in this context where a smile helps the accused.
“I don’t know what could be funny in that situation. Maybe they’re trying to reduce his anxiety… but it’s not a good look.”
A man accused of murdering a public figure — smiling, even subtly — was enough to ignite questions across social media.
Was he nervous? Detached? Overconfident?
Or simply unaware of how his demeanor would be interpreted?
A STRANGE DISTANCE BETWEEN ROBINSON AND HIS OWN ATTORNEYS
When asked what else stood out, Rouse pointed to another subtle but telling detail:
Robinson’s lack of physical rapport with his legal team.
“Their body language shows they don’t know him very well.”
He noted that the way people lean, angle their bodies, or allow proximity often reflects trust or familiarity.
Robinson and his attorneys showed none of that.
No leaning in.
No shared posture.
No emotional sync.
“There’s no connection yet,” Rouse said — something unusual for such a high-profile case.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MISSING: “THE GRIEF MUSCLE”
But out of everything Rouse observed, one absence overshadowed all the rest:
He saw no grief.
And he wasn’t speaking metaphorically.
Rouse pointed to specific facial muscles — the ones that pull together and downward when someone feels fear, worry, or deep emotional distress.
“I don’t see any of that. No grief muscle at all.
No signs he’s really worried about anything.”
That lack of concern, he says, could mean several things:
— emotional detachment
— psychological numbness
— a trained or practiced neutral expression
— or a deeper personality clue
But Rouse is careful not to jump to conclusions.
He compared Robinson’s demeanor to that of notorious criminal defendant Bryan Kohberger, whom he openly calls a psychopath. Robinson, he says, moves more, shows more physical energy, and doesn’t fit the same behavioral pattern.
Still, the absence of emotional strain — especially during a public, high-pressure hearing — is something Rouse says he’ll be watching closely as the case unfolds.
AMERICA WANTS ANSWERS — AND TODAY RAISED EVEN MORE QUESTIONS
If this first appearance was meant to calm speculation, it did the opposite.
Viewers didn’t see fear.
They didn’t see remorse.
They didn’t see emotional burden.
They saw a man facing a murder charge…
who seemed surprisingly unaffected by it.
And now the nation is left asking:
What does Tyler Robinson really feel — if anything at all?
What will his demeanor look like as evidence surfaces?
And is this the beginning of a trial that could divide the country even further?
One thing is certain:
This case is only getting started — and the world is not looking away.
Leave a Reply