A US judge has ordered a 23-year-old man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk to stand trial for murder, ruling that prosecutors have presented sufficient evidence for the case to proceed.
Tyler James Robinson faces the death penalty in Utah over the alleged killing of Kirk, 31, who was shot in the neck during a rally at a college campus on 10 September last year.
Judge Tony Graf made the ruling on Tuesday following a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors and defence lawyers argued over whether the case should proceed to trial.
“For the foregoing reasons and based off the record and parties’ submissions, it is hereby ordered that the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, is bound over for trial,” the judge said.
Prosecutors relied on video-game chats and text messages which they said showed Robinson was responsible for the killing and had become “fed up” with what he described as Kirk’s spread of “hate”.
The defence challenged the prosecution’s case, focusing particularly on the reliability of DNA evidence allegedly linking Robinson to the weapon used in the killing.
Following the ruling, Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to US media reports.
Kirk was killed at an event organised by Turning Point, the conservative youth organisation he founded and which campaigned for Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election.
The organisation is now led by Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk.
In a statement posted on X, she described Tuesday’s ruling as an important step towards securing justice for her husband, coming almost a year after his death.
Kirk’s killing triggered widespread shock across the United States and reverberated through the country’s political landscape.
He had emerged as a prominent figure among young conservatives and within a Christian nationalist movement that advocates traditional social values and has faced criticism over its views on diversity and LGBTQ communities.
The case will now proceed towards a full criminal trial, where prosecutors will be required to prove the allegations against Robinson beyond reasonable doubt.
