Defendant pleas not guilty in Kirk murder
By: Jim Urquhart
and Andrew Hay
Reuters
PROVO, Utah - Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus, pleaded to guilty at a hearing on September 1 [2026] to a murder charge that a judge ruled could carry the death penalty.
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The Utah judge's ruling that there was sufficient evidence to try Robinson on a capital murder charge followed immediately by the defendant's plea ranked key milestones in the case nearly a year after Kirk was killed on September 10, 2025, and concluded a packed hearing in Provo Utah, not far from where Kirk was shot.
..... During the hearing, prosecutors laid out what they called "overwhelming" evidence hat Robinson, 23, fired the single round that killed Kirk, 31, as he held one of the campus debates hat had helped propel him to national prominence. Defense lawyers argued the shooting did not meet the standard for a death penalty charge. Now it will be up to a jury to decide.
..... Among those in the courtroom were Kirk's parents, Robert and Kathryn, and his wife, Erika, who has taken leadership of the late activist's conservative youth organization.
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Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf set an October 23 [2026] hearing to schedule a date for the start of the trial.
..... Robinson pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him, among them aggravated murder for endangering the lives of others when he allegedly shot Kirk at Utah Valley Universe in Orem. The aggravated murder count carries the death penalty in Utah.
..... A co-founder of conservative youth organization Turning point USA, Kirk was credited with energizing young voters behind President Donald Trump's 2024 reelection campaign. His killing, captured in cellphone video that spread widely on social media, is art of a series of attacks on U.S. political figures in recent years that have fueled debate over political violence ion a deeply polarized country.
..... Utah county prosecutor, Ryan McBride presented images of what he said was Robinson on a rooftop before he shot Kirk.
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He displayed pictures that he said showed the former electrical apprentice cerated a "great risk of death" to others, with Kirk's security detail feet away form him when he was shot.
..... Defense lawyer Staci Visser said the shooting endanger no one but Kirk and the crime did not warrant capitol punishment. She said the assailant simply shot Kirk then ran away, without reloading the weapon or threatening anyone \else.
..... "There is one act. there is one shot. There is one bullet. There is one victim," Visser told the court.
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McBride said that Robinson was in a relationship with Lance Twiggs and targeted Kirk for his political views against same-sex marriage and transgender rights.
..... He cited a text message form Robinson in which he allegedly told Twiggs he shot Kirk because "some hate can't be negotiated out."
..... Defense attorney Richard Novak said Kirk had spoken "hatefully" about gender identities and those who were not heterosexual. He said it was unclear what Robinson referred to by "hate" and the wording did not imply he opposed Kirk's political views.