THE suspect accused of assassinating political activist Charlie Kirk has appeared in court hours after state prosecutors vowed to pursue the death penalty.
Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared stone-faced as he attended his first court hearing virtually and remained silent throughout the 12-minute proceeding.
Robinson, who wore a suicide prevention smock, showed no emotion as Judge Tony Graf read the slew of charges against him and when state prosecutors confirmed they had filed a notice seeking the death penalty.
Prosecutors charged Robinson with seven felonies, including aggravated murder, discharge of a firearm, and two counts of obstruction of justice, among other crimes.
Robinson nodded as the judge spoke to him and only spoke when asked to state his name for the record.
Judge Graf also granted a pretrial protective order for Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, that was filed by Utah County prosecutors.
The judge informed Robinson that he would remain in custody without bail.
It’s the first time Robinson has been seen in public since his parents turned him over to Washington County Sheriff’s officials 33 hours after Charlie Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Judge Graf set Robinson’s next hearing for September 29.
VILE ‘CONFESSION’
Robinson’s court hearing came hours after state prosecutors outlined the extensive evidence they collected in their case against the alleged assassin.
Jeffrey Gray, the Utah County attorney, revealed on Tuesday that Robinson’s DNA was found on the trigger of the rifle believed to have been used in Kirk’s assassination.
Kirk, a popular right-wing political activist, was minutes into his Q&A event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem when he was fatally struck in the neck by a single gunshot.
Hundreds of attendees fled in terror as Kirk’s team rushed him to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he died hours later.
Gray said that Robinson wrote in one text message to his roommate that he had been planning to kill Kirk, 31, for “a bit over a week.”
In a series of text exchanges, Robinson allegedly confessed to his roommate, whom he had been romantically involved with, to killing Kirk.
“Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard,” Robinson wrote to his roommate, according to court documents.
The note, according to prosecutors, read: ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
The roommate, who is cooperating with investigators, replied, “What?????????????? You’re joking. right????” adding, “You weren’t the one who did it right????”
Robinson allegedly responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”
‘ROBINSON’S DESPERATION’
Robinson allegedly said he used his grandfather’s distinct rifle, which he was given as a gift, and hid it in a bush as he fled the crime scene.
Prosecutors said Robinson was desperate to retrieve the rifle, but feared law enforcement had already swept the area.
“I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it,” Robinson texted his roommate, according to prosecutors.
“I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle…. I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle… idek if it had a serial number, but it wouldn’t trace to me.
“I worry about prints I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. didn’t have the ability or time to bring it with…. I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints.
“How the f**k will I explain losing it to my old man…. only thing I left was the rifle wrapped in a towel…. remember how I was engraving bullets?
“The f*****g messages are mostly a big meme, if I see ‘notices bulge uwu’ on fox new I might have a stroke alright im gonna have to leave it, that really f*****g sucks.”
Robinson then instructed his roommate to delete their text exchange.
FAMILY TURNS ROBINSON OVER
Gray, the Utah County attorney, said during a press conference on Tuesday that Robinson was first identified as the suspect thanks to his parents.
“Robinson’s mother expressed concern to her husband that the suspect shooter looked like Robinson,” Gray said.
His mother told investigators that “over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” the Utah County attorney added.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15199724/charlie-kirk-suspect-tyler-robinson-court/