A judge in Utah has ruled there is enough evidence to move forward toward trial on all seven charges prosecutors have filed against Tyler Robinson, the suspect in last year’s assassination of civil-rights leader Charlie Kirk.
That includes the possibility of the death penalty.
“Robinson pleaded not guilty to all charges moments after Judge Tony Graf issued the ruling. Graf also ruled that prosecutors may continue seeking the death penalty in the case. He found that the state established probable cause for the victim-targeting allegation, allowing the capital sentencing enhancement to move forward,” explained a report in Fox News.
The judge announced, “Viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, this evidence is sufficient at this stage to support a reasonable belief that the defendant is the individual who shot and killed Charlie Kirk.”
🚨 BREAKING: THE JUDGE HAS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST TYLER ROBINSON
The prosecution has made CLEAR they WILL pursue the death penalty, as long as the judge agreed probable cause had been established for a political targeting enhancement
DO IT IN… https://t.co/eeWjTskgHX pic.twitter.com/9JJcvUm4nP
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 2, 2026
BREAKING: Tyler Robinson lawyer claims Charlie Kirk ‘spoke hatefully’ of groups such as non-heterosexuals and non-gender-conforming people
He said this in open court just now in front of Charlie’s family
Absolutely vile pic.twitter.com/bd3m9bL6b5
— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) September 1, 2026
The judge pointed out that a preliminary hearing is not the time and location for prosecutors to have proven their charges “beyond a reasonable doubt,” as that would develop at trial.
This ruling concerned only whether there is adequate evidence to move the charges forward to trial.
“Whether the state can prove the aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt remains for trial,” the judge said.
He also concluded the state has established probable cause for a charge of victim-targeting.
The charges that will be brought to trial against Robinson include aggravated murder; felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury; two counts of obstruction of justice; two counts of witness tampering; and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child, the report confirmed.
The aggravated murder and firearm charges both are first-degree felonies.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking to a crowd at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Prosecutors charge Robinson fired the fatal shot from a sniper-style location nearby.
A lawyer representing the Kirk family told the court, “Charlie devoted his life to building a community of over a million young people rooted in faith and freedom. He had hard conversations others were too afraid to have.”
He said, “Charlie was the opposite of hate. Firing a bullet into a crowd and assassinating him. That is hate.”
Robinson’s next appearance is Oct. 23, for a status conference, at which time a trial date could be chosen.
