PROVO, Utah (AP) — The 22-year-old man accused of killing Charlie Kirk will attend a court hearing on Monday. During this session, he and his newly appointed legal counsel will decide whether to proceed with a preliminary hearing in which the judge will assess whether sufficient evidence exists to advance to a trial.
Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and plan to seek the death penalty.
The Utah state court system permits individuals accused of crimes to waive their legal right to a preliminary hearing and instead arrange for an arraignment where they can submit a plea.
Kathryn Nester, the lead attorney assigned to represent Robinson, declined to provide comments on the case preceding Monday’s hearing. Prosecutors from the Utah County Attorney’s Office did not respond to requests for comments via email and phone.
The hearing in Provo is accessible to the public and is situated a few miles from the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Many students are still processing trauma from the September 10 shooting and the subsequent day-and-a-half search for the suspect.
Authorities apprehended Robinson when he appeared at his hometown sheriff’s office in southwest Utah, which is over a three-hour drive from the shooting location, accompanied by his parents to surrender. Prosecutors have since disclosed incriminating text messages and DNA evidence that allegedly tie Robinson to the murder.
According to Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray, Robinson left a note for his romantic partner before the shooting expressing his intent to kill one of the country’s prominent conservative figures, “and I’m going to take it.” Gray also mentioned that in a text about Kirk to his partner, Robinson stated: “I had enough of his hatred.”
The assassination of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism, has galvanized Republicans who have vowed to carry on Kirk’s mission of moving American politics further to the right.
Trump has declared Kirk a “martyr” for freedom and threatened to crack down on what he called the “radical left.”
Workers across the country have been punished or fired for speaking out about Kirk after his death, including teachers, public and private employees and media personalities — most notably Jimmy Kimmel, who had his late-night show suspended then quickly reinstated by ABC.
Kirk’s political organization, Arizona-based Turning Point USA, brought young, evangelical Christians into politics through his podcast, social media and campus events. Many prominent Republicans are filling in at the upcoming campus events Kirk was meant to attend, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Sen. Mike Lee at Utah State University on Tuesday.
