Protection legal professional faces uphill battle for accused Charlie Kirk murderer

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Tyler Robinson's new protection legal professional has an uphill battle representing the accused murderer of Turning Level USA founder Charlie Kirk , consultants say.

"The aim for his new high-profile protection attorneys within the Tyler Robinson case goes to be preserve him off of demise row," mentioned Maryland legal professional and authorized analyst Randolph Rice, who's following the case. "And that is in all probability their aim proper now, or a minimum of that is what they're fascinated about."

One possibility could be to hunt a plea deal that spares Robinson from the potential demise penalty, like Bryan Kohberger 's protection within the Idaho pupil murders. That could possibly be months and even years down the road.

TIMELINE OF CHARLIE KIRK'S ALLEGED ASSASSIN FROM CAMPUS SHOOTING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE SURRENDER

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/672/378/tyler-robinson-virtual-court-appearance-fox-news-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1344/756/tyler-robinson-virtual-court-appearance-fox-news-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/931/523/tyler-robinson-virtual-court-appearance-fox-news-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1862/1046/tyler-robinson-virtual-court-appearance-fox-news-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Tyler Robinson seems just about in Utah court docket on Sept. 16, 2025, to face fees within the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts)

If the case does go to trial, prosecutors should show that Kirk's murder included aggravating elements that warrant execution if the suspect is discovered responsible.

"What the protection could possibly argue is to say, this was a single sniper bullet that had a single meant goal — and subsequently it posed no different hazard to anybody else," Rice instructed Fox Information Digital. "And if they'll show that to a jury or they'll persuade a jury of that, then they will not get the irritating homicide, and subsequently they will not have the demise penalty on the desk."

Robinson, like all prison defendants within the U.S., is taken into account harmless till confirmed responsible. However prosecutors are anticipated to unveil a mountain of proof in court docket, and the politically charged case is being intently watched across the nation.

CHARLIE KIRK'S ACCUSED ASSASSIN ENCOUNTERED BY POLICE DURING RETURN TO CRIME SCENE: LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCES

Charlie Kirk was a conservative activist who led Turning Level USA. (Alex Brandon/The Related Press)

Kirk, an outspoken conservative whose group sought to advertise right-of-center pondering on historically liberal campuses, was shot and killed whereas talking at Utah Valley College on Sept. 10. Robinson allegedly instructed his roommate and romantic associate that he did it as a result of he "had sufficient of [Kirk's] hatred. Some hate cannot be negotiated out."

The associate, who was recognized as trans, is cooperating with investigators.

"Clearly they have the priority about defending their shopper, they have issues in regards to the media consideration, however I additionally suppose that they might have issues about their private security," Rice mentioned. "This definitely is a political assassination. It is one thing that has been within the headlines. There are a variety of people who're emotional about this. And positively folks on the left are definitely emotional about it. Individuals on the precise are definitely emotional about it. And so there are issues from the protection crew's perspective. About their private security and that is one thing they will have to contemplate all through this complete trial."

CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION LEAVES UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AS INVESTIGATORS PIECE TOGETHER GAPS IN CASE

Charlie Kirk throws hats to the group after arriving at Utah Valley College on Sept.10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Photographs)

Authorities say they've recovered messages to his romantic associate and different buddies taking accountability for the taking pictures. In accordance with a possible trigger affidavit, he had "confessed...or implied" guilt to an in depth household good friend. The Washington County Sheriff's Workplace later mentioned his dad and mom satisfied him to give up peacefully somewhat than take his personal life.

Police recovered a rifle on the scene that investigators allege had Robinson's DNA on it. Additionally they have surveillance video on the campus and close by roads and a footprint on the rooftop the place a sniper fired the bullet that killed Kirk.

In accordance with court docket paperwork, the suspect used his telephone on college grounds a minimum of as soon as, on video. That would present police with extra proof. Additionally they recognized a suspect automobile, a grey Dodge Challenger , just like the one Robinson drives.

UTAH PROSECUTORS PREPARE POTENTIAL DEATH PENALTY CASE AGAINST CHARLIE KIRK SUSPECT TYLER JAMES ROBINSON

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/672/378/charlie-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson-dodge-challenger.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1344/756/charlie-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson-dodge-challenger.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/931/523/charlie-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson-dodge-challenger.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1862/1046/charlie-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson-dodge-challenger.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> A gray Dodge Challenger parked within the driveway of Tyler Robinson's household residence in Washington, Utah, Friday, Sept.12, 2025. Robinson reportedly drove a gray Dodge Challenger to UVU on the day he's alleged to have assassinated Charlie Kirk. (Derek Shook for Fox Information Digital)

And as Fox Information Digital reported Thursday, an officer guarding the campus perimeter "made contact" with Robinson close to the place police recovered the suspected homicide weapon as he was allegedly texting his roommate about desirous to retrieve it earlier than skipping city, in response to legislation enforcement sources.

Defending a demise penalty case would require Robinson's authorized crew to rent forensic specialists, psychological well being evaluators and jury consultants, amongst different measures, Rice mentioned, however his attorneys might need to struggle for funding or danger being "hamstrung" earlier than the case goes to trial.

Kirk's family may also weigh in earlier than prosecutors determine to supply a plea deal. His widow, Erika Kirk, mentioned throughout her husband's memorial service Sunday mentioned she has already forgiven Robinson "as a result of it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do."

Individually, she mentioned she didn't need to get entangled within the determination to hunt capital punishment in an interview with the New York Times .

"I’ll be trustworthy," she instructed the paper. "I instructed our lawyer, I need the federal government to determine this. I are not looking for that man’s blood on my ledger. As a result of after I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye fixed? Is that how we do it?’ And that retains me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"

Erika Kirk speaks throughout the memorial service for her husband, political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (Win McNamee/Getty Photographs)

WHO IS KATHRYN NESTER, CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT TYLER ROBINSON’S ATTORNEY?

If prosecutors determine to supply a plea deal, it might not appear like the current plea for Bryan Kohberger within the Idaho student murders case, in response to Louis Gelormino, a Staten Island protection legal professional who's following the case.

"One of many issues that shocked me on the market in Kohberger was they didn’t let him allocute to the crimes," he instructed Fox Information Digital. "Often, while you take a plea, you need to confess to your crimes. I might think about right here, in the event that they do take that off the desk they usually do get a plea out of him, that he’ll need to allocute and clarify his crime in public."

He mentioned he expects Robinson's crew to discover a possible madness protection, however his alleged escape from Orem and week spent plotting the crime might complicate that argument. He additionally expects protection attorneys to problem as a lot proof as doable in case prosecutors or police didn't "cross all their Ts and dot all their Is," he mentioned.

Tyler Robinson, 22, is proven in an undated photograph from his mom’s Fb web page. Police have named Robinson a suspect within the killing of Charlie Kirk. (Amber Robinson through Fb)

"It’s an extremely robust case," he added. "I don’t envy the protection legal professional in any respect...They’ve obtained all of the proof on the planet."

Robinson is accused of taking pictures Kirk within the neck with a searching rifle from a rooftop at Utah Valley College whereas the sufferer was talking to college students and different attendees at a Turning Level USA-sponsored occasion.

Robinson's lead protection counsel, veteran lawyer Kathy Nester , was formally appointed to the case Wednesday.

CHARLIE KIRK'S ALLEGED ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FACES DEATH PENALTY AS CHARGES FORMALLY ANNOUNCED

In Nester's 30 years of expertise, she's defended capital instances in California and Utah, and up to date high-profile purchasers embrace Kouri Richins, a Utah mom of three accused of killing her husband after which writing a youngsters's e book about coping with grief.

She didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

Utah prison protection legal professional Kathryn Nester, pictured on the left of this mixed photograph, has been appointed to symbolize Charlie Kirk's alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, proper. (College of Texas College of Regulation/Utah Governor's Workplace)

Utah County Lawyer Jeff Grey's workplace introduced the prosecution's trial crew would come with six attorneys on Monday.

They embrace Grey, who spent 23 years with the state legal professional normal's workplace and has appeared earlier than each the U.S. and Utah Supreme Courts; Chad Grunander, who prosecuted Utah's first-ever televised trial and has put chilly case and cop killers behind bars; Christopher Ballard, who has argued greater than 175 appellate instances; Ryan McBride, final yr's Utah Prosecutor of the Yr; David Sturgill, a veteran prosecutor who's an adjunct professor at UVU, and Lauren Hunt, whose position within the case in opposition to double homicide suspect Christopher Poulson garnered recognition from the FBI .

Choose Tony Graf enters the courtroom as Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally taking pictures Charlie Kirk, attends a digital court docket listening to from jail on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Provo, Utah. (Scott G Winterton/The Deseret Information through AP, Pool)

Robinson is due again in court docket on Monday for a waiver listening to, which is able to decide whether or not the protection forces prosecutors to current possible trigger earlier than the case proceeds.

Declining to waive is a defensive technique that will give his attorneys entry to extra discovery supplies and an opportunity to cross-examine state witnesses early on, Rice mentioned.

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Prosecutors have charged Robinson with seven counts, together with aggravated homicide, which carries the potential demise penalty, felony firearms fees, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and committing violence within the presence of a kid.