Suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination case faces court hearing
[September 29, 2025]
By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
PROVO, Utah (AP) — The 22-year-old man charged with killing Charlie Kirk
will have a court hearing Monday where he and his newly appointed legal
counsel will decide whether they want a preliminary hearing where the
judge will determine if there is enough evidence against him to go
forward with a trial.
Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and plan
to seek the death penalty.
The Utah state court system gives people accused of crimes an option to
waive their legal right to a preliminary hearing and instead schedule an
arraignment where they can enter a plea.
Kathryn Nester, the lead attorney appointed to represent Robinson,
declined to comment on the case ahead of Monday's hearing. Prosecutors
at the Utah County Attorney's Office did not respond to email and phone
messages seeking comment.
The hearing in Provo is open to the public, just a few miles from the
Utah Valley University campus in Orem where many students are still
processing trauma from the Sept. 10 shooting and the day-and-a-half
search for the suspect.
Authorities arrested Robinson when he showed up with his parents at his
hometown sheriff's office in southwest Utah, more than a three-hour
drive from the site of the shooting, to turn himself in. Prosecutors
have since revealed incriminating text messages and DNA evidence that
they say connect Robinson to the killing.
A note that Robinson had left for his romantic partner before the
shooting said he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading
conservative voices, “and I’m going to take it," Utah County Attorney
Jeff Gray told reporters before the first hearing. Gray also said that
Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his
hatred.”
[to top of second column]
|
In this image from video provided by Utah State Courts, Tyler James
Robinson attends a virtual court hearing from prison in Utah, on
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, accused of fatally shooting conservative
activist Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts via AP)
The assassination of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump
who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism, has galvanized
Republicans who have vowed to carry on Kirk's mission of moving
American politics further to the right.
Trump has declared Kirk a “martyr” for freedom and threatened to
crack down on what he called the “radical left."
Workers across the country have been punished or fired for speaking
out about Kirk after his death, including teachers, public and
private employees and media personalities — most notably Jimmy
Kimmel, who had his late-night show suspended then quickly
reinstated by ABC.
Kirk’s political organization, Arizona-based Turning Point USA,
brought young, evangelical Christians into politics through his
podcast, social media and campus events. Many prominent Republicans
are filling in at the upcoming campus events Kirk was meant to
attend, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Sen. Mike Lee at Utah
State University on Tuesday.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
