A judge in Utah ruled yesterday, Tuesday, that the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk should stand trial, finding that there is sufficient evidence against him.
Tyler Robinson, 23, faces the death penalty if convicted of the murder, which occurred when the victim was shot in the neck during a campus event in September 2025.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
““Given the case file and the evidence (…) submitted by both sides, I hereby order that the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, be brought to trial,”, Judge Tony Graf said, addressing the courtroom.
The decision follows a preliminary hearing during which both sides presented their arguments for holding a trial.
The prosecution presented, in particular, text messages in which the suspect confessed to friends that he had committed the murder. The defense, on the other hand, based its case on challenging the evidence—above all, the DNA evidence—that linked the young man to the weapon used.
SEE ALSO: “There can be no negotiations with terrorists”: Putin lashes out at Zelensky
Following the judge’s ruling, Tyler Robinson pleaded not guilty, according to U.S. media reports.
“Today’s ruling, nearly a year after they took Charlie from us, is an important step in our family’s quest to see justice served for him,” said Erica Kirk, the wife of the American right-wing influencer, on behalf of the family via X.
Charlie Kirk’s murder had caused a political upheaval in the U.S. at the time. The 31-year-old opinion leader was the head of the largest youth organization on the American right, Turning Point USA. The organization had strongly supported Donald Trump in the most recent election campaign.
A controversial figure, Charlie Kirk was a Christian nationalist, a passionate defender of the traditional family, and a fierce critic of the LGBTQ+ community and transgender people.
Source: CNA
