Prosecutors Argue The Man Accused Of Killing Charlie Kirk Should Stand Trial

PROVO, Utah — Utah prosecutors are successful tribunal Monday seeking to person a authorities judge they person capable grounds to bring to proceedings nan man accused successful Charlie Kirk’s assassination and activity nan decease penalty.

Kirk’s parents and widow, Erika Kirk, were successful nan courtroom for nan first time, on pinch Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s son. The five-day preliminary proceeding will people nan astir important position of grounds successful nan lawsuit against suspect Tyler Robinson.

Three men escorted Erika Kirk into nan courthouse successful Provo respective minutes earlier nan proceeding began. She walked into tribunal holding hands pinch Kirk’s mom, Kathryn Kirk.

Robinson’s parent’s besides were present, a fewer rows down nan Kirks. The 23-year-old man is charged pinch aggravated execution successful nan Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk, a blimpish activistic and state of President Trump, astatine Utah Valley University. Robinson turned himself successful nan time aft nan shooting.

Prosecutors allege he confessed successful a statement near for his roommate, who was besides his romanticist partner, that read: “I had nan opportunity to return retired Charlie Kirk and I’m going to return it.”

Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and his attorneys person not commented connected his guilt aliases innocence. They have, however, sought to get nan decease punishment taken disconnected nan table, truthful acold unsuccessfully.

The proceeding will lucifer a mini-trial, but prosecutors request only show that location are reasonable grounds to judge Robinson killed Kirk. The modular is little than for a trial, wherever prosecutors must beryllium guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Prosecutors expect to coming betwixt 40 and 50 exhibits during this week’s hearing.

Chief Deputy Utah County Atty. Chad Grunander told State District Judge Tony Graf that nan exhibits will see respective videos of nan Sept. 10 shooting, which occurred arsenic Kirk was addressing a crowd of thousands astatine Utah Valley University.

The videos will beryllium shown connected a courtroom show that is being group up truthful that it won’t beryllium captured by nan property videographer successful nan courtroom, said Graf.

Once nan proceeding is finished, authorities District Judge Tony Graf must find whether location is capable grounds for nan lawsuit to proceed to trial.

Prosecutors person said they scheme to coming DNA grounds linking Robinson to nan suspected execution weapon, grounds from investigators, autopsy findings, witnesser statements and video of Kirk’s killing. They are besides expected to reason nan shooting endangered others astatine Kirk’s field arena — an aggravating condition that could make nan crime punishable by decease nether Utah law.

Prosecutors this week tin usage secondhand information, aliases hearsay, to thief coming their case.

Robinson’s roommate is not expected to attest successful personification during nan hearing. Still, nan roommate’s recorded grounds could beryllium a focal constituent for prosecutors.

In summation to nan alleged confession note, Robinson reportedly texted his roommate that he targeted Kirk because he “had capable of his hatred,” prosecutors person said.

Before his death, Kirk and nan statement he co-founded, Turning Point USA, galvanized nan blimpish younker ballot to thief Trump triumph a 2nd term.

The Republican president has said he hopes Robinson receives nan decease penalty.

Erika Kirk said during his memorial work that she forgives Robinson.

Ahead of Monday’s hearing, she thanked supporters successful a connection posted to X for their kindness and prayers.

“Every tribunal proceeding serves arsenic a achy reminder of his death,” she wrote, “and nan nonaccomplishment that has irrevocably impacted our lives and nan lives of his children.”

She added that nan nationalist outpouring “has sustained america during nan darkest days of our lives.”

She is expected successful tribunal passim nan week pinch her husband’s parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk, according to a personification acquainted pinch nan business who said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Schoenbaum and Brown constitute for nan Associated Press. Brown reported from Billings, Mont.