Charlie Kirk’s widow and parents are expected in a Utah courtroom this week as prosecutors begin laying out their case against the man accused of assassinating the conservative activist. A judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to move forward.
The five-day preliminary hearing is expected to resemble a mini trial, with prosecutors presenting key evidence as they seek to move forward with a capital murder case.
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Prosecutors say they have extensive evidence against Tyler Robinson, 23. According to prosecutors, Robinson turned himself in after the shooting. They also say he texted a confession to his partner and left a note saying he had an opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it,” according to the Associated Press.
What we know about the case
Robinson is charged with aggravated murder in Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination. He has not yet entered a plea.
Investigators say Robinson drove four hours from his home in St. George to Utah Valley University where Kirk was holding an open debate last September. They say Robinson shot Kirk from the roof of a nearby building before fleeing the scene.
Robinson turned himself in after family members said they recognized him in surveillance images. He has been in jail ever since.
Robison faces the death penalty, which is only allowed in Utah when there are aggravating circumstances. Prosecutors plan to argue that Kirk’s shooting at a public gathering endangered others in attendance, creating an aggravating circumstance, according to the AP.
Along with aggravated murder, Robinson faces charges of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
The pretrial hearings were originally scheduled in April, but they were pushed back after the defense asked for more time to review a bullet analysis and other evidence that could strengthen their case.
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Charlie Kirk co‑founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA in 2012 at 18 years old.
Cameras in the courtroom
This week’s hearing will be livestreamed and reporters and the public will be allowed to attend after District Judge Tony Graf denied the defense’s request to restrict access.
Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office had asked Graf to ban cameras entirely, raising concerns that the media coverage surrounding the case threatens his ability to get a fair trial. While prosecutors argued that the preliminary hearing should remain open, they did agree with the defense that media should be limited from viewing or copying some of the evidence that could be used in a formal trial.
Graf ruled last month that the defense failed to show public preliminary hearings would prevent Robinson from receiving a fair trial.
“The public and the media enjoy a presumptive right to access court proceedings, including preliminary hearings,” Graf said in his ruling.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, also pushed for the judge to allow cameras in the courtroom.
Kirk family message
The Kirk family released a statement ahead of Monday’s hearing, saying they will not comment on the case out of “respect for the judicial process.”
“Charlie was a beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and father,” the statement reads. “Every court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death and the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children.”
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