Utah court rules to try man accused of killing Charlie Kirk
Utah Judge Tony Graf ruled that 23-year-old Tyler Robinson will stand trial on an aggravated murder charge in the case of the death of American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. This classification provides for the possibility of the death penalty in the event of a conviction.
The decision was made after several hours of closing arguments in Provo. The judge found the evidence sufficient for the case to proceed to trial on the merits. The next stage will be a formal arraignment in court, and Robinson has not yet stated whether he will plead guilty. The Guardian reports.
The prosecution's position
Prosecutors claim that former electrical apprentice Robinson fired a single shot on September 10, 2025, killing 31-year-old Kirk. According to their version, this happened on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, where Kirk was debating students.
At the hearing, the prosecution said there was a “mountain of evidence” which, in its view, proves that Robinson was the shooter. Prosecutors also showed video footage of Robinson on campus on the day of the shooting.
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During a weeklong preliminary hearing in July, prosecutors presented test results that, they said, found Robinson's DNA on the murder weapon. The defense questioned the DNA testing and said police had not investigated the possibility that another person could have committed the killing.
Dispute over the death penalty
The prosecution bases the aggravated murder charge on the claim that the shooting allegedly endangered other people present at the event. Robinson's lawyers dispute that the crime is punishable by death: according to them, the shooter hit an “intended target” and did not put other people in danger.
Prosecutors also claim that Robinson may have chosen Kirk because of his political views on same-sex marriage and transgender rights. The defense insists there is no evidence that Robinson disagreed with Kirk's political views. Kirk was a co-founder of Turning Point USA, helped build Donald Trump's support among young voters, and contributed to increased turnout among Republican voters.
