Suspect In Charlie Kirk S Death Could Face The Death Penalty Npr

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 3:22 AM

suspect in charlie kirk s death could face the death penalty npr

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, was charged with aggravated murder Tuesday, and prosecutors say they'll seek the death penalty. The man accused of killing Kirk is facing the death penalty. Utah prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and also obstruction charges for trying to cover his tracks. NPR's Tovia Smith is following developments from St. George, Utah. Tovia, I saw that Robinson only spoke to state his name.

Was this his first time in court? TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Yes, first since he was taken into custody, and he appeared yesterday remotely from jail where he's being held without bail, and he was wearing a suicide prevention smock. Prosecutors say Robinson had implied to his parents that he'd rather take his own life than go to jail, though his parents did eventually convince him to turn himself in. Yesterday, during the hearing, he really showed no emotion at all as the judge read the charges against him. Those include the main one, aggravated murder that carries the death penalty, and also several others, including obstruction of justice for allegedly hiding what's believed to be the murder weapon and for allegedly telling... MARTÍNEZ: So on that text exchange, what more did prosecutors say about it?

Within hours of the assassination of Charlie Kirk last week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox began talking about pursuing the death penalty in the case. President Trump expressed his support for the move early on. It became official on Tuesday, Sept. 16. During a news conference announcing the official charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said that prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.

But the decision opens the door to another question: Since Utah allows execution by firing squad or lethal injection, which of the two would likely be used in the event of a conviction and... Gray said that the issue of the death penalty − in any form − is a tough one for prosecutors. "I do not take this decision lightly and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime," Gray said. "I talked to officials from both (Cox and Trump) administrations, but I was not pressured to make a decision." Updated September 14, 2025 at 15:23 PM ET Utah prosecutors have booked the suspect accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on an aggravated murder charge.

Tyler Robinson was also arrested on charges of obstruction of justice and the felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, authorities said. The 22-year-old Utah resident has been detained in a county jail since he turned himself over to police in connection with the assassination of the conservative influencer Wednesday during an outdoor appearance at Utah... Robinson is being held without bail. Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox told ABC's This Week that Robinson is "not cooperating" with investigators but that "all the people around him are cooperating, and I think that's very important." People attend a vigil for Charlie Kirk at Western Trails Ranch in Morristown, Ariz., on Saturday.

Eric Thayer/Getty Images hide caption Utah prosecutors have booked the suspect accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on an aggravated murder charge. Tyler Robinson was also arrested on charges of obstruction of justice and the felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, authorities said. The 22-year-old Utah resident has been detained in a county jail since he turned himself over to police in connection with the assassination of the conservative influencer Wednesday during an outdoor appearance at Utah... Robinson is being held without bail. Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox told ABC's This Week that Robinson is "not cooperating" with investigators but that "all the people around him are cooperating, and I think that's very important." Jesse Bedayn, Associated Press/ Report for...

Watch the news conference in the video player above. Prosecutors have filed a notice to seek the death penalty for Robinson. Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating conservative influencer Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, has been formally charged with a slew of offenses, including aggravated murder, with prosecutors announcing the intent to seek the death penalty. Robinson, 22, has also been charged with felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of... Gray, who described Kirk's death as "an American tragedy," said he does not "take this decision lightly" in regard to seeking the death penalty for Robinson.

The suspected shooter will continue to be held without bail. Robinson made his first appearance in court virtually on Tuesday, where a judge read off the suspect’s charges. He will remain in custody. Updated on: September 17, 2025 / 12:24 AM EDT / CBS News Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, on Tuesday was granted a pretrial protective order against the suspect in his murder, Tyler... "The defendant represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the protected person," according to the filing granted by Judge Tony Graf. Furthermore, Jeffrey Neiman, a Miami-based attorney, filed a request on behalf of Erika Kirk that she be designated a representative of her late husband in the case.

"It is requested that Erika Kirk, the widow of Charles James Kirk, be designated the representative of the victim in this case to exercise all the rights afforded the victim pursuant to Utah Code…,"... Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university, appeared before a judge by video from jail on Tuesday. Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Kirk. PROVO, Utah (AP) — Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand... This photo released by the Utah Governor’s Office on Friday, Sept. Updated on: September 17, 2025 / 12:24 AM EDT / CBS News

Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, on Tuesday was granted a pretrial protective order against the suspect in his murder, Tyler Robinson, that prohibits him from contacting or harassing her. "The defendant represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the protected person," according to the filing granted by Judge Tony Graf. Furthermore, Jeffrey Neiman, a Miami-based attorney, filed a request on behalf of Erika Kirk that she be designated a representative of her late husband in the case. "It is requested that Erika Kirk, the widow of Charles James Kirk, be designated the representative of the victim in this case to exercise all the rights afforded the victim pursuant to Utah Code…,"... Pueden encontrar la versión en español aquí.— Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, will be charged with seven counts — including aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and felony discharge of a firearm.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he will seek the death penalty. “I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” Gray said... After Kirk’s murder but before Robinson’s arrest, Gov. Spencer Cox repeatedly said the state would seek the death penalty and called Kirk’s killer an “evil human being.” The Trump administration also said it wanted the death penalty. Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, was charged with aggravated murder on Tuesday — an offense that could mean the death penalty. Robinson was also charged with several other felonies — two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of tampering with a witness, and felony discharge of a firearm — and violent offense committed in...

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray plans to seek the death penalty for Robinson. He acknowledged speaking to people connected to President Donald Trump, but said his decision was not pressured by the Trump administration. If the death penalty is not chosen, aggravated murder could also mean imprisonment for up to life without parole. In a court hearing later in the day, Robinson appeared virtually to hear the charges against him from Judge Tony Graf, who set the next hearing for Sept. 29. The charge of aggravated murder means the suspected shooter could face the death penalty if convicted of killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at an event last week.

The suspect in the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder, prosecutors said on Tuesday. Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray told a press conference that suspect Tyler R.* also faces charges including obstruction of justice for disposing of evidence, witness tampering for ordering his roommate to delete texts,... Gray said he had decided to seek the death penalty "independently, based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime." "I was not pressured to make a decision" on whether to choose the death penalty, Gray told reporters at a press conference. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Amy Stevens and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Suspect In Charlie Kirk S Death Could Face The Death Penalty Npr

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