Charlie Kirk murder trial: Judge rules case against suspect Tyler Robinson can move forward; could face death penalty

A Utah judge ruled on Tuesday that the trial of Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, can proceed. District Judge Tony Graf made his decision following a day-long probable cause hearing. Prosecutors argued they had sufficient evidence to charge Robinson with aggravated murder, which carries a potential death sentence if convicted.

Robinson, 23, is accused of shooting Kirk from a rooftop during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Kirk, 31 and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was addressing a crowd of over 3,000 people when he was killed. The judge noted the prosecution had presented enough evidence to warrant a trial. The case has drawn national attention, with prosecutors laying out a detailed account of the alleged events and presenting evidence, including security footage, digital records, and forensic material.

Both defense and prosecution lawyers presented closing arguments on Tuesday, with prosecutors emphasizing the motive and risk of harm to the crowd, while the defense questioned the motive and lack of evidence linking Robinson to Kirk.