Utah Prosecutors Plan To Seek Death Penalty Against Suspect In Charlie

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 23, 2025, 4:33 PM

utah prosecutors plan to seek death penalty against suspect in charlie

PROVO, Utah (KUTV) — The Utah County Attorney’s Office filed charges against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting and killing political activist Charlie Kirk. Robinson, age 22, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony; felony discharge of a firearm, a first-degree felony; two counts of capital obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; two counts of... Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. MORE | Suspect in assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk to appear in court "The bullet struck Mr. Kirk in the neck.

He slumped to the ground almost immediately," charging documents state. "The bullet's trajectory passed closely to several other individuals beside Mr. Kirk, including the questioner. ... Children were visible near Mr. Kirk's stage."

Although Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced he is seeking the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assisinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, achieving that sentence could be a tall order in... The decision transforms a case that could have been smooth sailing for prosecutors, assuming the plethora of physical evidence, witness testimony and alleged confessions they have described to the media holds up in court. Now, the case isn't only about proving guilt: Government lawyers will need to convince every member of a 12-person Utah jury that the death penalty matches both the crime and the alleged criminal. "It's far from guaranteed," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told USA TODAY. "You've got to get 12 out of 12. It has to be unanimous.

If there's any sort of sympathies or any just hesitation, that's going to be enough." Under Utah law, a jury considering whether to sentence a defendant to death has to weigh what are called "aggravating" and "mitigating" circumstances. Aggravating circumstances are basically features of the alleged crime and perpetrator that justify greater punishment. Mitigating circumstances refer to features of the crime or perpetrator that complicate the moral picture. Reporting by Brad Brooks in Provo, Utah; Additional reporting by James Oliphant, Julia Harte, Christian Martinez, Kanishka Singh, Jasper Ward and Doina Chiacu; Writing by Joseph Ax and Steve Gorman; Editing by Lincoln Feast,... Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announces charges against Tyler James Robinson, 22, including aggravated murder, a capital offense, in the death of conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk. The charges were announced during a news conference at the Utah County Health & Justice Building in Provo, Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced that his office has filed charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, accused of shooting and killing conservative influencer Charlie Kirk during a crowded outdoor speaking event last week. Gray called Kirk’s death “an American tragedy” at a news conference in Provo on Tuesday, calling the shooting an offense against the state of Utah.

He also expressed his concern for all those who were in the crowd at Utah Valley University and witnessed the attack. Robinson has been charged with multiple crimes, including one count of aggravated murder, which is a capital felony. If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty — a sentence that Gray said he plans to pursue. “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. Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo and Fox News contributor Joshua Ritter break down the case against the shooting suspect in Utah. When official charges against Charlie Kirk's suspected assassin, Tyler James Robinson, are formally unveiled this week, they will show whether prosecutors are able to seek the death penalty, as Utah Gov.

Spencer Cox has proposed repeatedly in recent days. Robinson, a 22-year-old from the southern part of the state, is currently being held without bail at the Utah County Jail. He is accused of climbing onto a rooftop at Utah Valley University and shooting and killing Kirk from about 200 yards away before fleeing into a neighborhood and making his way home to Washington,... "Given the very early stages of this investigation, and the fact that the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment on the specific charges that we will file," Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in... "However, we do anticipate that those charges will likely be consistent with the preliminary charges that supported Mr. Robinson’s booking into jail."

DEATH PENALTY LOOMS FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S ACCUSED KILLER BUT LEGAL BAR IS HIGH AS TRUMP, COX MOUNT PRESSURE Prosecutors revealed Tuesday that the state of Utah will seek the death penalty against the man who allegedly shot and killed conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The state and lead attorney, Jeffrey Gray, charged Tyler Robinson with seven offenses, including aggravated murder with a targeted victim enhancement. The charges carry severe penalties and are brought against Robinson for allegedly “intentionally select[ing] Charlie Kirk because of [his] belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk’s political expression.” Other charges include firearms offenses, obstruction of... Gray reportedly said, “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy. Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one of our most sacred and cherished American rights.” He added that law enforcement found cartridges in Robinson’s home with etchings that were similar to those found...

Utah Code §76-5-202 establishes aggravated murder, which carries a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of life without parole or death. The crime incorporates an aggravating factor of “a violent criminal offense in the presence of a child.” The filing statement presented the state’s current case and included a transcript of a series of text messages between Robinson and his roommate, as well as descriptions of the etchings discovered on bullet casings... Sep 16, 2025, 12:27 PM | Updated: 9:36 pm 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... DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the...

The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and... “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said. Sep 16, 2025, 11:54 AM | Updated: Sep 17, 2025, 9:53 am BY MARY CULBERTSON, KSL TV AND HEATHER PETERSON, KSL NEWSRADIO SALT LAKE CITY — In a press conference Tuesday, local officials announced the filing of formal charges against the suspected shooter in the killing of Charlie Kirk. Tyler Robinson, 22, will face seven criminal charges, and according to Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S.

Gray, prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty in Robinson’s case. The full list of charges is as follows: In the official indictment filed during the conference, it is noted that per Utah law, counts one and two will be enhanced because “Robinson intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because of Tyler James Robinson’s belief...

Utah Prosecutors Plan To Seek Death Penalty Against Suspect In Charlie

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