A US judge has ruled that Tyler James Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, must stand trial for murder after finding that prosecutors presented enough evidence for the case to proceed.
Robinson, 23, faces the possibility of the death penalty in Utah over the alleged killing of Kirk, who was shot in the neck during a rally at a college campus on September 10 last year.
“For the foregoing reasons and based off the record and parties’ submissions, it is hereby ordered that the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, is bound over for trial,” Judge Tony Graf said in court.
The ruling followed a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors and the defence presented arguments on whether the case should proceed to trial.
The prosecution relied on video-game chats and text messages involving Robinson, arguing that the messages showed he was responsible for Kirk’s death because he was “fed up” with the “hate” allegedly promoted by the influencer.
The defence, however, focused largely on challenging the reliability of DNA evidence that prosecutors said connected Robinson to the weapon used in the killing.
Following Tuesday’s ruling, Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to US media reports.
Kirk was 31 when he was killed at an event organised by Turning Point, the right-wing youth organisation he founded. The group supported President Donald Trump during the 2024 election and is now led by Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk.
Reacting to the judge’s decision, Erika Kirk said in a statement posted on X:
“Today’s decision, which comes nearly a year since Charlie was taken from us, marks an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him,”
The killing shocked the United States and triggered widespread concern across the country’s political landscape.
Kirk had emerged as a prominent figure within a Christian Nationalist movement that promotes traditional values while facing criticism over its views on diversity and LGBTQ communities.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
