US judge orders Tyler James Robinson to stand trial in Charlie Kirk killing

A US judge has ruled that Tyler James Robinson, 23, will stand trial on murder charges in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, the court heard on Tuesday.

Judge finds sufficient evidence to proceed

The decision followed a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors and defence attorneys presented competing arguments about whether the case should move to trial. The judge, Tony Graf, ordered that Robinson “is bound over for 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,” Judge Tony Graf said in court.

Evidence presented at the hearing

Prosecutors introduced Robinson’s video gamer chats and text messages, saying those materials showed the defendant killed Kirk because he was “fed up” with the “hate” spread by the influencer.

The defence focused on challenging DNA evidence that prosecutors say links Robinson to the murder weapon, arguing that the DNA connection is not valid.

Charges, plea and context

Robinson faces the death penalty in Utah for the killing. The victim, Charlie Kirk, was shot in the neck during a rally on a college campus on September 10 last year. Kirk was 31 at the time of his death.

After the judge’s ruling, Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, according to US media.

Reaction from family and organisation

The event where Kirk was killed had been organised by his organisation, Turning Point, which campaigned for President Donald Trump in 2024. The group is now led by his wife, Erika Kirk.

“Today’s decision, which comes nearly a year since Charlie was taken from us, marks an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him,” Erika Kirk said in a statement posted on X.

Developing coverage

The killing of Charlie Kirk drew national attention and prompted significant public reaction. Further details and updates were reported as the legal process moved forward.