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(NewsNation) — The 22-year-old antheral accused of assassinating blimpish governmental activistic Charlie Kirk appeared successful tribunal Tuesday wearing a protective vest and peculiar gown successful jail.
Tyler Robinson showed nary emotion during the virtual proceeding arsenic helium faced 7 charges, including aggravated execution and witnesser tampering, successful transportation with Kirk’s decease past week astatine Utah Valley University.
Under Sheriff Sean Bufton confirmed to NewsNation that Robinson was wearing a protective gown and remains connected “special ticker close present until we spot however he's going to proceed to enactment successful the jail.”
The fishy had antecedently told his parents helium would alternatively termination himself than surrender to police.
Vest worn by Charlie Kirk fishy could beryllium hint astir defense: Banfield
NewsNation’s true transgression amusement anchor Ashleigh Banfield said the protective vest worn during his tribunal quality could importantly interaction his defence strategy. Banfield said that what defendants deterioration successful tribunal matters due to the fact that it tin "prejudice the assemblage pool," and the garment suggests Robinson is considered a information to himself.
Banfield predicted defence attorneys volition apt usage Robinson’s intelligence authorities arsenic portion of a "diminished capableness effort" to reason against the decease penalty.
She said the protective vest indicates Robinson is "obviously precise troubled," and this grounds of intelligence distress "will equine itself into its lawsuit successful immoderate way."
However, Banfield besides said that an insanity defence would beryllium hard to equine successfully.
She pointed to Robinson’s attempts to support the transgression concealed from his roommate arsenic grounds helium understood the quality betwixt close and wrong.
Charlie Kirk fishy substance messages uncover weeklong planning
Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray confirmed helium is seeking the decease punishment against Robinson.
Charging documents revealed Robinson’s parent archetypal recognized him from surveillance photos released by authorities. When she called to inquire his whereabouts, Robinson claimed helium was sick successful bed.
Robinson’s begetter became suspicious aft constabulary described uncovering the execution limb — a bolt-action firearm that matched 1 helium had fixed his son. When the begetter asked Robinson to nonstop photos proving helium inactive had the rifle, it triggered a substance speech betwixt Robinson and his roommate that yet led to his confession.
According to prosecutors, Robinson’s parent told investigators her lad had go much governmental implicit the past year, "leaning much to the left" and becoming "more pro-gay and trans rights-oriented." She said Robinson had begun dating his roommate, described arsenic a biologic antheral transitioning genders.
When asked wherefore helium committed the murder, Robinson told his parents, "There is excessively overmuch evil and the feline spreads excessively overmuch hate," referring to Kirk.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native, has besides been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing superior bodily injury, 2 counts of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of witnesser tampering and committee of a convulsive discourtesy successful the beingness of a child.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native, has besides been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing superior bodily injury, 2 counts of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of witnesser tampering and committee of a convulsive discourtesy successful the beingness of a child.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native, has besides been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing superior bodily injury, 2 counts of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of witnesser tampering and committee of a convulsive discourtesy successful the beingness of a child.
This photograph released by the Utah Governor's Office connected Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 shows Tyler Robinson. (Utah Governor's Office via AP)
Text messages betwixt Robinson and his roommate showed Robinson had been readying the onslaught "a spot implicit a week." After confessing to the killing, Robinson directed his roommate to a enactment helium had near nether his keyboard and asked him to delete their substance conversations.
In the messages, Robinson said helium was acrophobic astir retrieving his grandfather's rifle than astir taking Kirk’s life.
"I'm disquieted what my aged antheral would bash if I didn't bring backmost grandpa's rifle," Robinson wrote, according to charging documents. "I mightiness person to wantonness it and anticipation they don't find prints."
Police recovered Robinson’s fingerprints connected the rifle's trigger, on with DNA grounds connected a towel wrapped astir the limb and a screwdriver recovered connected the rooftop wherever the fatal changeable was fired.
