The prosecution is making a final push for the death penalty, asking a Utah judge to send Tyler Robinson to trial on all seven charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, while accusing Robinson’s attorneys of misrepresenting evidence and violating their ethical duty of candor to the court.
In a 19-page <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutors-hammer-tyler-robinson-bid-derail-death-penalty-charlie-kirk-murder-case">filing</a> Tuesday, prosecutors sharply rejected the defense’s arguments that the evidence is insufficient to support the charges or the aggravating circumstance that could make Robinson eligible for the death penalty. 
The state specifically accused Robinson’s lawyers of relying on a Utah Court of Appeals decision that the Utah Supreme Court later rejected, while failing to inform the judge of the subsequent ruling. “Defendant’s counsel ignore this controlling caselaw and have therefore violated their ethical duty of candor to the court,” prosecutors wrote.
The dispute centers in part on the legal standard governing Robinson’s preliminary hearing. His attorneys argued that prosecutors were asking the judge to speculate when choosing between competing interpretations of the evidence. Prosecutors countered that the Utah Supreme Court has explicitly rejected that reasoning, holding that choosing between reasonable inferences is a normal part of determining guilt.
Prosecutors also argued that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the charges, saying Robinson does not dispute the substance of evidence showing that he allegedly crawled to the Losee Building rooftop, fired the fatal shot, hid the rifle, discarded clothing, and instructed his roommate to delete incriminating text messages.
The state’s filing also added to its argument that Robinson knowingly placed other people in danger when he allegedly shot at Kirk from the rooftop. Prosecutors allege Robinson had previously taken practice shots with the suspected murder weapon and “seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes missed the target completely.” The state argues that his poor accuracy demonstrated he knew firing toward Kirk from a rooftop, with thousands of people gathered below and around him, created a substantial risk that someone other than Kirk could be killed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🔎Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson allegedly &#8220;seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes missed the target completely&#8221; when taking practice shots with the suspected murder weapon, according to Utah prosecutors, who are trying to show that Robinson allegedly knew shooting… <a href="https://t.co/S3D3NbwT92">https://t.co/S3D3NbwT92</a> <a href="https://t.co/2ENUhKyRB5">pic.twitter.com/2ENUhKyRB5</a>
— Michael Ruiz (@mikerreports) <a href="https://x.com/mikerreports/status/2090073665647816895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
That allegation is particularly significant because prosecutors must establish the aggravating circumstance that Robinson knowingly created a great risk of death to others for him to potentially face the death penalty upon conviction.
Robinson, 23, is accused of killing Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He has not entered a plea. Judge Tony Graf is expected to decide at a September 1 hearing whether prosecutors have established sufficient probable cause to send Robinson to trial.

Tyler Robinson

Prosecutors Make Final Push For Death Penalty In Tyler Robinson Case

Utah Prosecutors Make Final Push For Death Penalty, Slam Robinson Defense For Ethics Violation

assassination

Charlie Kirk

Courts

Criminal Justice

Death Penalty

Judge

Murder

Political Violence

Utah

John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, is offering new insight into the factors that drove him to carry out the attack, pointing to his own estrangement from his family.
In an interview with filmmaker and producer Mark Joseph obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire, Hinckley once again said the 1976 Martin Scorsese film &#8220;Taxi Driver&#8221; had a profound influence on him as he spiraled into the delusions that ultimately led him to shoot Reagan. “&#8217;Taxi Driver&#8217; influenced me very much,” Hinckley said when asked how responsible he believed the movie was for his actions. “I wouldn’t use the term ‘hold them responsible,’ but yeah, &#8216;Taxi Driver&#8217; influenced me greatly.”
But he also said his isolation from his family was a contributing factor, and offered a word of caution to young people struggling with loneliness.
“Do not get estranged from your family,” Hinckley said. “Keep the family ties, because that’s what happened to me: I got estranged from my family, and that led to isolation and depression and delusions.”
“So do everything you can to keep your family ties,” he continued. “And, you know, if you have some faith, try to have a faith in God. With me, that’s what saw me through.” The comments come as Hinckley has received renewed attention following his first major interviews in decades. In another <a href="https://ew.com/john-hinckley-jr-shares-a-message-for-jodie-foster-in-rare-interview-12053383">portion of the interview</a>, he discussed his obsession with Jodie Foster and said he once believed the actress would ultimately join him after the assassination attempt.
The attack wounded Reagan, White House Press Secretary James Brady, Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy. Reagan survived after suffering a punctured lung and internal bleeding. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and spent more than three decades in psychiatric care before being released from court supervision in 2022.
Joseph produced the 2024 film “Reagan,” starring Dennis Quaid as the 40th president. A director&#8217;s cut of the film is scheduled to return to theaters in September as part of the nation&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebrations.

BC-HINCKLEY-FOSTER:NY-20260812

EXCLUSIVE: Ronald Reagan Shooter Speaks To ‘Reagan’ Producer Ahead Of Director’s Cut Release

John Hinckley Jr.

Movies

Ronald Reagan

Luigi Mangione’s high-profile murder trial will proceed with an anonymous jury and expanded courtroom access after a judge finalized several key details Tuesday ahead of the September trial.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro ruled that the identities of jurors will be kept from the public during the trial, which is scheduled to begin September 8 and is expected to last roughly six weeks. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/luigi-mangione">Mangione</a>, 28, has pleaded not guilty to eight state charges, including second-degree murder, in the December 4, 2024, shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
The anonymous jury comes as prosecutors warn that Mangione’s sizable and highly vocal supporter base could pressure witnesses and potential jurors. “The media attention surrounding this case — and the efforts of some of the defendant’s supporters both to intimidate witnesses and to interfere with the functioning of the jury — will place extraordinary pressure on witnesses and potential jurors alike,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in a Monday letter to Carro obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutors-warn-luigi-mangione-supporters-may-intimidate-witnesses-jurors-murder-trial">Fox News</a>.
Prosecutors had asked the court to limit access to the proceedings and raised concerns that supporters could secretly record proceedings in an overflow room and distribute the footage. Carro nevertheless ordered that an overflow room be made available for members of the media and the public, after Mangione’s attorneys argued that limiting courtroom access would unfairly restrict coverage of the case.
The judge also warned that anyone who takes out a cellphone in either the courtroom or the overflow room will be removed. The decision represents a compromise between the defense’s desire for broad public access and prosecutors’ concerns about security and witness intimidation.
The defense previously requested that the trial be televised, although New York law generally does not permit cameras in the courtroom. Jury selection will also begin September 8, with Carro ordering the prosecution and defense to work together on a questionnaire designed to identify potential jurors who may have biases that could affect their ability to serve.
That process is expected to be particularly contentious given the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s killing and the public reaction to Mangione.
Prosecutors allege Mangione targeted Thompson because of his animus toward the health insurance industry. They say he tracked Thompson’s movements before he allegedly shot him from behind as the executive walked toward the New York Hilton Midtown, where UnitedHealthcare was holding an investor conference. Mangione was arrested days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee alerted police.
Mangione’s defense briefly announced in June that it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-defense-strategy-luigi-mangione-is-betting-everything-on">planned</a> to pursue a psychiatric defense before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-defense-abandons-controversial-courtroom-tactic">withdrawing</a> that strategy a day later. The state case is separate from the federal charges Mangione faces in connection with the killing. The Justice Department had previously sought the death penalty in the federal case, but that option was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Says+Prosecutors+Can%E2%80%99t+Pursue+Death+Penalty+Against+Luigi+Mangione">removed</a> in January after a federal judge ruled against pursuing a capital prosecution.
Mangione is expected to face trial in the federal case next year. With jury selection now weeks away, Tuesday’s hearing marks one of the final stages before the state trial begins.

Supporters of Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Trial Gets Anonymous Jury Over Fears Of Intimidation

Luigi Mangione Trial Set For Anonymous Jury Amid Intimidation Concerns

Court

criminal

criminal investigation

Gun Violence

Healthcare

Luigi Mangione

New York

New York City

trial

United Healthcare

UnitedHealthcare

WASHINGTON — The rescheduled White House Correspondents Dinner will take place Friday evening in Washington, D.C., months after an assassin tried to barge into the event and target the president and top conservatives.
Friday&#8217;s White House Correspondents Dinner will take place at the Waldorf Astoria, formerly Trump Hotel, in downtown D.C. — &#8220;a Building and Ballroom that I built,&#8221; as the president said in a Truth Social post earlier this summer.
&#8220;I was asked to be there, and speak, by Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association, and have accepted,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out.&#8221;
Friday night&#8217;s event, including Trump&#8217;s speech, will be streamed live on The Daily Wire.
The previous dinner was held at the Washington Hilton, where, on April 25, a shooter named Cole Tomas Allen attempted to charge into the event and open fire on multiple top Trump administration officials, according to federal prosecutors.
Karoline Leavitt promised from the briefing room podium on Thursday that Trump &#8220;looks forward to finishing what he started&#8221; before the assassination attempt, encouraging Americans to &#8220;tune in, for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.&#8221;
“The president’s speech will be a combination of unifying yet vicious, and serious yet hilarious, all at the same time, if you can imagine that,&#8221; Leavitt added on Friday. &#8220;One thing I can assure you, it will be entertaining.”
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1143005" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-promises-unifying-yet-vicious-trump-speech-at-rescheduled-whcd/mentalist-oz-pearlman-hosts-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-3" rel="attachment wp-att-1143005"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1143005" class="wp-image-1143005 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273150972-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273150972-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273150972-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273150972-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273150972.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Karoline Leavitt, Melania Trump, Donald Trump, and Weijia Jiang attend The White House Correspondents Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for OP)</div>
The Secret Service told The Daily Wire on Friday that it is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the dinner, sharing that &#8220;Secret Service personnel have been in collaboration with the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), hotel security, and law enforcement partners at the federal and local level.&#8221;
Guests should expect to see a &#8220;visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel,&#8221; Anthony Guglielmi, U.S. Secret Service chief of communications, shared on Friday, noting that there will be enhanced traffic closures due to the location of the event.
All guests of the dinner will have to go through &#8220;airport-style magnetometer screening,&#8221; and the roads around the Waldorf will be closed on Friday.
&#8220;We are confident that our robust security plan will ensure the safety of our protectees and attendees, just as our plan did in April,&#8221; Guglielmi said. &#8220;Our agency grows and adapts from every event we secure, and we have engaged with WHCA to ensure attendees are given timely information in the unlikely event on an emergency during the event.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1142985" style="width: 972px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-promises-unifying-yet-vicious-trump-speech-at-rescheduled-whcd/gunshots-fired-in-lobby-of-hotel-hosting-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-with-president-trump-2" rel="attachment wp-att-1142985"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1142985" class="wp-image-1142985 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273134809-962x576.jpg" alt="" width="962" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273134809-962x576.jpg 962w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273134809-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273134809-768x460.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2273134809.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px" /></a>This image shows Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident in Washington at the annual White House Correspondents&#8217; Association Dinner, while in his hotel room at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2026. (Photo by U.S. Department of Justice/Getty Images)</div>
Weijia Jiang, the outgoing president of the White House Correspondents Association, said Friday night&#8217;s dinner will not only be an opportunity to actually hold the dinner, but it will also be &#8220;a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.&#8221;
&#8220;As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above,&#8221; Jiang told the White House press in an emailed statement.
Authorities indicted accused assassin Allen on four charges: attempting to assassinate the president, assault on an officer of the United States with a deadly weapon, transporting a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
He is the fourth known person to attempt to assassinate Trump in the past two years. Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during his Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July 2024, Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to shoot Trump on September 15, 2024, and Austin Tucker Martin was shot and killed by authorities as he attempted to breach Mar-a-Lago in February 2026. Crooks was also killed by authorities, and Routh is serving a life sentence in prison.

President Trump Attends The White House Correspondents’ Dinner

White House Promises ‘Unifying Yet Vicious’ Trump Speech At Rescheduled WHCD

Donald Trump

Media

Secret Service

Washington D.C.

WHCD

Taxpayers may end up paying up to $10 million to defend the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk as the case drags out for months, according to a new report. 
Multiple lawyers told <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/14/us-news/taxpayers-could-end-up-shelling-out-more-than-10m-for-lawyers-to-defend-accused-charler-kirk-killer-tyler-robinson/">The New York Post</a> that 23-year-old Tyler Robinson’s defense team is challenging every aspect of the case with the goal of pressuring state prosecutors into offering a plea deal. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, who is charged with gunning Kirk down during an event at Utah Valley University in September 2025. 
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told the Post that Robinson’s lawyers “are litigating anything and everything to try to bring the prosecution to the table to offer a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole deal.”
Robinson’s defense is being paid for by the county and the lawyers defending him have to be specially trained because it involves the death penalty. 
“So yeah, it is costing taxpayers,” Rahmani said. “But what do you expect the defense to do? They’re playing the hand that they’re dealt, right? And it’s not a good hand.”
Rahmani said if the case is prolonged enough then prosecutors may choose to secure life in prison through a plea deal and avoid the many appeals that come with the death penalty. 
“If the state offered a plea deal and a life sentence, the taxpayers would save millions and millions of dollars,” he said. 
Last week, Judge Tony Graf Jr. oversaw the preliminary hearing in the case where prosecutors presented the evidence they planned to use during the trial. Graf will rule in September whether there is enough evidence against Robinson to schedule a trial. 
“I think all the attention on the case, he doesn’t want to make a mistake or be overturned on appeal,” Rahmani said. “He’s very slow, he’s very thorough, and very deliberate.”
Rahmani said the longer the process takes, the more pressure there is on the prosecution. He pointed to the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger, who avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students. 
“They’re trying to put pressure on the prosecution to offer a life deal. Like they did in Kohberger,” he said. 
Nathan Evershed, a former deputy district attorney for Salt Lake County, agreed the longer the case took the more likely a plea deal would be. 
“Usually what happens is that the longer a case can get delayed, the more of a chance there can be an off-ramp or a plea deal,” he told the Post. “And an off-ramp is harder to find when it’s raw and very, very fraught with emotions. Whereas it’s easier to find when it’s less raw and you’re able to come to the table.”
Evershed added that it would be quite expensive before the whole ordeal closed. 
“It’s going to cost quite a bit of money to get to that point,” he said. “And the only people that will be paying for that are the taxpayers.”

Tyler Robinson Arrested In Utah For Shooting of Charlie Kirk

Tyler Robinson’s Defense Strategy That Could Cost Taxpayers Millions

Crime

WASHINGTON — Two years after a would-be assassin attempted to kill Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, the president reflected on the security failures that almost ended his life.
&#8220;Well, they blew Butler, because they had one building that was empty, and they blew it,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6401031952112">said</a> as he spoke to Fox &amp; Friends on Monday morning. Monday marks the second year since July 13, 2024, when 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at Trump. Crooks <a href="https://fallon.house.gov/uploadedfiles/tf.finalreport.pdf">fired</a> eight rounds, narrowly missing Trump&#8217;s head and grazing him in the ear, but his shots killed attendee Corey Comperatore and critically injured two others.
An inspector general report released in late June found that Secret Service agents failed to receive most of the 102 radio transmissions from local authorities ahead of the assassination attempt, which caused them to miss multiple opportunities to stop Crooks. The report also found that the Secret Service was severely understaffed in 2023 and 2024 and that the agency&#8217;s culture of using personal devices and unsecured government phones left some locations and data open to attacks.
Trump typically does not criticize the Secret Service, who he has praised for saving him that day, but his Monday remarks acknowledged that the Secret Service should have stopped Crooks before he was able to open fire.
&#8220;Now at the same time — David, our sniper from 300 yards, was able to act within less than four seconds and took out somebody that he didn&#8217;t know existed, which was unbelievable, the job he did — because if he didn&#8217;t do that, you would have had a lot of people,&#8221; the president added, implying that many more people would have been killed had the sniper not taken out Crooks.
&#8220;Maybe not me, because they were on top of me pretty quickly — I had a lot of people on top of me, and they were very brave,&#8221; Trump explained. &#8220;The Secret Service was very brave. They were on top of me very, very fast. They saw what was happening. Everybody saw very quickly. I knew — I knew exactly what was happening.&#8221;
Trump reflected on that moment, describing how in tune he was with what was happening amidst the chaos.
&#8220;It was amazing how I understood exactly,&#8221; he noted. The president said he instantly knew it was his ear that was bleeding, though the people around him thought he had been hit &#8220;all over,&#8221; but he pointed out that the ear bleeds more than many other parts of the body.
&#8220;It has to do with cartilage,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;It was a bloody mess. But I knew I only got hit there, and they thought I got hit in many different locations because of the blood.&#8221;
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<div id="attachment_1133725" style="width: 857px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-shares-new-butler-details-after-scathing-security-report/topshot-us-politics-vote-14" rel="attachment wp-att-1133725"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1133725" class="wp-image-1133725 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2161350567-847x576.jpg" alt="" width="847" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2161350567-847x576.jpg 847w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2161350567-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2161350567-768x522.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-2161350567.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 847px) 100vw, 847px" /></a>Photo by Rebecca DROKE / AFP via Getty Images</div>
The FBI said in November 2025 that it has conducted over a thousand interviews and is &#8220;very confident&#8221; in the assessment that Crooks acted alone when he tried to kill Trump.
“It is the FBI’s conclusion that Crooks acted alone,” former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-fbi-concludes-trump-shooter-thomas-crooks-acted-alone-after-unprecedented-global-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News at the time, pushing back on online conspiracies about Crooks. He shared that the FBI gained access to all “35 accounts linked to Crooks, including social media, bank, and other online accounts.”
“Dan and I have been on this since we got here eight months ago,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox at the time. “We fully briefed the president, as a victim of this case, at the White House, providing him with all of the details of our investigation, and the president was satisfied with the results and where we left it.”
“We are very confident in the outcomes of this investigation,” Bongino added. “We have pulled on every threat. We are absolutely confident, and if information surfaces, please, immediately get it over to us for instant action.”
Crooks&#8217; attack was one of four known assassination attempts the president has faced. Ryan Wesley Routh is serving a life sentence in prison for attempting to shoot Trump on September 15, 2024, and Austin Tucker Martin was shot and killed by authorities as he attempted to breach Mar-a-Lago in February 2026.
On April 25, a shooter <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-heads-back-to-scene-of-assassination-attempt">named Cole Tomas Allen attempted</a> to charge into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and open fire on multiple top Trump administration officials, including the president, according to federal prosecutors.
A Secret Service official assured The Daily Wire in late June that the agency is well prepared for his return.
“At every protective site, the U.S. Secret Service deploys a sophisticated, layered security framework that is custom-designed and continuously evolves to meet today’s heightened security environment,” the official said.
“While the existing security plan at the April 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was effective in interdicting an identified threat, the agency continually reviews our security posture and will make adjustments, as necessary.”

Donald Trump Injured During Shooting At Campaign Rally In Butler, PA

Trump Shares New Butler Details After Scathing Security Report

Butler

Lance Twiggs, the trans-identifying former boyfriend of accused assassin Tyler Robinson, said in audio released during Thursday&#8217;s preliminary hearing that Robinson had claimed he wanted to engrave bullets ahead of a planned &#8220;hunting&#8221; trip.
A police interview with Twiggs, originally recorded several months after the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated, was played for the first time during preliminary hearings ahead of Robinson&#8217;s trial.
Twiggs said that Robinson had mentioned a hunting trip he was planning with his family, and asked whether he had a Dremel tool that he could use to engrave bullets before they went. He confirmed that he did have the tool, and had told Robinson where he could find it — and that all of that had transpired about a month or so prior to the shooting.
&#8220;He said he was going hunting with his family and he asked if we had a Dremel he could borrow because he said he wanted to engrave messages on bullets,&#8221; Twiggs explained. &#8220;I just told him where the Dremel was and told him to make sure he doesn&#8217;t set off the bullet on accident in the house, but I didn&#8217;t really think about it until then.&#8221;
He recalled seeing Robinson the day after the shooting, and said that he&#8217;d appeared restless — as if he&#8217;d been attempting to keep himself busy, or to distract himself from what he had done.
Twiggs also said that he&#8217;d asked Robinson directly whether the things he&#8217;d said via text the night before — namely that he&#8217;d been the one to shoot Kirk — had been true.
&#8220;[He] didn’t go into detail. I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before and he said it was, starting crying a little bit, and he says he wishes he hadn’t done it,” Twiggs said.
Some portions of the interview were redacted pursuant to an earlier ruling from Judge Tony Graf, in which he stated that about 16 minutes of the recorded interview — which initially took place earlier in the year — would be redacted in order to balance transparency of the proceedings with the rights of the defendant.
Robinson, 23, will potentially face the death penalty if he is convicted.

Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Tyler Robinson Arraigned In Utah Court

Tyler Robinson’s Trans Furry Boyfriend Reveals Engraved Bullet Details

Tyler Robinson Claimed Engraved Bullets Were For 'Hunting,' Trans Furry Boyfriend Says

Shooting

Only two days into a preliminary hearing for the Tyler Robinson murder case and newly presented security footage and testimony are contradicting a conspiracy peddled by Candace Owens.
Owens has accused more than a dozen individuals and shadowy groups or governments of being involved in the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, while saying Robinson is being framed or used as a patsy. The late conservative&#8217;s widow, Erika Kirk, has notably been a routine target of Owens&#8217; unsupported theories.
Just days ago, Owens repeated her belief that Robinson was not on the Utah Valley University campus at all on the day Kirk was murdered.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think Tyler Robinson was there,&#8221; she <a href="https://podscripts.co/podcasts/shawn-ryan-show/318-candace-owens-the-most-sued-woman-in-american-media?utm_source=chatgpt.com">told</a> podcast host Shawn Ryan. &#8220;I think he&#8217;s a total patsy. I think they get lookalikes. They get everybody to wear the same outfits. I believe he played a role, and what he did was he picked up clothes and he dumped them behind the Dairy Queen.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-21?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">LISTEN: The Trial of Tyler Robinson: Making the Case Day 2</a>
During the interview, Owens again raised questions about whether Israel or other “heavy players” were connected to Kirk’s murder and cast suspicion on Erika. At one point in the same interview, Owens said she felt &#8220;gutted&#8221; because Erika never actually loved her late husband. Owens cited Erika&#8217;s decision to quickly step into a leadership role at TPUSA after the assassination as part of her reasoning.
During Tuesday&#8217;s preliminary hearing, which will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence for Robinson to stand trial, a number of security videos showed a man on the Utah Valley University campus who authorities testified was Robinson.
One video appeared to show Robinson walking with a &#8220;limp,&#8221; according to David Hull, a former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent. Notably, reports previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, indicating he was likely concealing a rifle under his clothing.
Another video presented in court shows the man believed to be Robinson climbing over the railing of the Losee Center and moving into a prone position just seconds before Kirk was fatally shot.
Security footage also showed a person believed to be Robinson seconds after Kirk was fatally shot. The person was seen running along the top of a campus building “before dropping down onto the grass and heading away from campus on foot, carrying something,” The New York Times reported.
&#8220;The video compilation (exhibit 12.4) of Tyler Robinson visiting UVU campus four times on 9/10 (the last visit stretching into the early morning hours of 9/11) will be submitted as evidence and broadcast to the media. Here’s the video,&#8221; TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said. &#8220;When you watch it, you&#8217;ll understand why the defense fought so hard against allowing it to be seen by the public.&#8221;
Robinson&#8217;s parents also recognized him from images released by law enforcement following the shooting, and Robinson apparently made statements that led his parents to believe he killed Kirk. Matt Robinson, the suspect&#8217;s father, drove his son to surrender himself to authorities.
Some independent journalists and conservatives — including those who were close to Kirk — slammed Owens for spreading the apparent lies about the case.
&#8220;Compare the video of Candace Owens claiming last week that Tyler Robinson was never on the UVU campus on the day Charlie Kirk was killed and the extended footage presented in court today of Robinson visiting campus 4 times that day,&#8221; conservative commentator AG Hamilton said.
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Compare the video of Candace Owens claiming last week that Tyler Robinson was never on the UVU campus on the day Charlie Kirk was killed and the extended footage presented in court today of Robinson visiting campus 4 times that day… <a href="https://t.co/2E7NUcjuS8">pic.twitter.com/2E7NUcjuS8</a>
— AG (@AGHamilton29) <a href="https://x.com/AGHamilton29/status/2074541314339635672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Candace Owens led thousands of people astray and lied, claiming that Tyler never stepped foot on campus that day,&#8221; journalist Sarah Fields said. &#8220;This is embarrassing — for her and for everyone she effectively brainwashed.&#8221;
Without naming Owens, CEO of The Babylon Bee, Seth Dillon, commented on the mounting evidence against Robinson and those spreading falsehoods about the case.
&#8220;[T]here&#8217;s a reason so many people are unwilling to let the evidence speak for itself. The well was poisoned for exactly that purpose,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;The goal of the months-long internet &#8216;investigation&#8217; has been to pre-bunk the real one so that its findings, when they eventually surfaced, would be widely dismissed.&#8221;
&#8220;Shame on anyone who&#8217;s defended this malicious campaign as &#8216;just asking questions&#8217; or &#8216;the actions of a true friend,'&#8221; he added.
Unsurprisingly, Owens is denying the person in the video footage is Robinson. She is now suggesting the man is Lance Twiggs, Robinson&#8217;s trans-identifying lover. &#8220;The person walking in the video they are presenting is very clearly a TALL person. Well above 6 feet,&#8221; she wrote on X. &#8220;No way that is a 5’10 or 5’11 person. How tall is Lance Twiggs?&#8221;
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This was my exact point. The person walking in the video they are presenting is very clearly a TALL person. Well above 6 feet. 
No way that is a 5’10 or 5’11 person. 
How tall is Lance Twiggs? <a href="https://t.co/IjKSmwoHA7">https://t.co/IjKSmwoHA7</a>
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) <a href="https://x.com/RealCandaceO/status/2074543586264105317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Has anybody wanted anything as badly as Candace wants Charlie&#8217;s murderer to go free?&#8221; Blake Neff, producer of &#8220;The Charlie Kirk Show,&#8221; reacted.
Manhattan Institute fellow Colin Wright called Owens &#8220;unfathomably idiotic.&#8221;
&#8220;She thinks she has the ability to determine the height of a person to within 1 inch simply from a video,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Tyler Robinson might appear tall at first glance, but that&#8217;s because he&#8217;s skinny and lanky. Candace saying that he &#8216;looks to me to be 6&#8217;2 minimally&#8217; is just stupid.&#8221;
&#8220;&#8216;Looks to me&#8217;? Based on what method that allows for only 1 inch of wiggle room?&#8221; he continued to ridicule Owens. &#8220;She has no method, just vibes. It simply isn&#8217;t possible to determine how tall someone is from a video or photo that lacks a clear reference point.&#8221;
&#8220;I told you Candace would be spinning off endless conspiracies from the trial footage,&#8221; Wright added. &#8220;It has already started, and it&#8217;s only going to get a lot more insane.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-tyler-robinson-interacted-with-hours-before-charlie-kirk-assassination?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Who+Tyler+Robinson+Interacted+With+Hours+Before+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination">Who Tyler Robinson Interacted With Hours Before Charlie Kirk Assassination</a>

Candace Owens/Tyler Robinson

Testimony, Security Footage Contradict Candace Owens’ Insane Defense Of Tyler Robinson

Testimony, Security Footage Contradicts Candace Owens Conspiracy Theory

Candace Owens

The weapon believed to have been used in the murder of conservative Charlie Kirk was wrapped in a towel that contained DNA from Tyler Robinson and his trans lover, Lance Twiggs, according to the FBI.
Robinson was living with Twiggs at the time of Kirk&#8217;s assassination, and authorities viewed messages between the two romantic partners on the day of Kirk&#8217;s assassination that appear to implicate Robinson in the killing.
During a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors presented a report from the FBI that indicated DNA from Robinson and Twiggs was found on the towel that was used in an attempt to hide a rifle near the scene of Kirk&#8217;s assassination, The New York Times reported. Authorities don&#8217;t believe Twiggs, who is cooperating with police, took part in planning or carrying out the assassination.
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DNA breakdown on towel and screwdriver where Lance Twiggs&#8217; and Tyler Robinson&#8217;s DNA was found from Amanda Bakker, DNA analyst:
Towel: Twiggs 5% Robinson 95% 
Screwdriver: Twiggs 11% Robinson 89%
— Lynden Blake (@LyndenBlake) <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2074630147827773861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/thats-so-criminal-ep-21?elementPosition=1&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">LISTEN: The Trial of Tyler Robinson: Making the Case Day 2</a>
Journalist Sarah Fields similarly <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2074630147827773861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">reported</a> that Utah Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jennifer Faumuina, the state&#8217;s third witness, &#8220;testified that FBI DNA testing identified DNA belonging to both Tyler Robinson and his roommate, Lance Twiggs, on the towel wrapped around the rifle, as well as on the screwdriver recovered from the sniper perch.&#8221;
A video stream of the hearing shows Amanda Bakker, a forensic analyst for the FBI&#8217;s DNA lab, confirming that Robinson was the major DNA contributor for the towel and a screwdriver found after the murder, which also contained a much smaller amount of Twiggs&#8217; DNA.
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To ALL the liars saying the opposite of the truth….you are scum of the earth!
Here is the TRUTH!
ON THE RECORD: Robinson Was 95% DNA Contributor On Evidence! <a href="https://t.co/D2rI2io1wA">pic.twitter.com/D2rI2io1wA</a>
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen) <a href="https://x.com/GrahamAllen/status/2074646906559701028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Last year, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said Robinson&#8217;s DNA was found on the trigger and other parts of a rifle that was found near the crime scene. His DNA was also found on the fired cartridge casing and two of the three unfired cartridges, as well as the towel that the weapon had been wrapped in, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-updates/charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson-charges-court-hearing-utah/">reported</a>. Messages obtained by authorities reportedly show Robinson saying in a Discord chat that the rifle belonged to his grandfather.
The second day of the hearing also included <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/never-before-seen-footage-reveals-moments-before-and-after-kirk-assassination?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Never-Before-Seen+Footage+Reveals+Moments+Before+And+After+Kirk+Assassination">never-before-seen security footage</a> of who appeared to be Robinson walking on the Utah Valley University campus with what authorities described as a “limp” just minutes before the shooting.
Reports have previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, which some have suggested could indicate he was concealing a rifle under his clothing.
Robinson is facing the death penalty for the murder of Kirk.
<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper">Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/never-before-seen-footage-reveals-moments-before-and-after-kirk-assassination?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Never-Before-Seen+Footage+Reveals+Moments+Before+And+After+Kirk+Assassination">Never-Before-Seen Footage Reveals Moments Before And After Kirk Assassination</a></div>

Key Piece Of Evidence Contained DNA From Accused Kirk Assassin And His Trans Lover: FBI

Towel Used To Wrap Rifle Contained DNA From Tyler Robinson, Trans Lover Lance Twiggs: FBI

Never-before-seen security footage played Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in the murder case against Tyler Robinson appeared to show Robinson walking with what authorities described as a &#8220;limp&#8221; just minutes before the shooting.
&#8220;UVU prosecutors just presented this footage of Tyler Robinson arriving on campus for the third time, just minutes before the shooting,&#8221; Blake Neff, a producer of &#8220;The Charlie Kirk Show,&#8221; posted online. &#8220;Look at how he is walking, as if something is hindering his right leg.&#8221; (See footage above.)
Reports have previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, which some have suggested could indicate he was concealing a rifle under his clothing. Robinson is facing the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder and conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/live-tyler-robinson-preliminary-hearing?contentProgram=Daily%20Wire%20News&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">WATCH LIVE: Tyler Robinson Preliminary Hearing</a>
Agent David Hull testified that Robinson was &#8220;walking with a gait or a limp.&#8221; As the video played in the courtroom, the agent said the suspect appeared to be having difficulty walking.
Reporters inside the courtroom said the prosecution used surveillance footage to establish that Robinson was on campus four separate times on September 10, 2025, the day Kirk was killed.
&#8220;The timeline prosecutors are building is strong. Surveillance placing Robinson on campus before, during, and after the shot. Roof access, sniper position in the gravel, that screwdriver left behind, every piece fits,&#8221; Jack Posobiec reported on Monday. &#8220;Defense is already grasping at procedural straws.&#8221;
In another video played for the court, a person believed to be Robinson was seen &#8220;&#8216;rolling&#8217; over the railing of the Losee Student Center and moving into a prone position just seconds before Kirk was shot,&#8221; Neff posted.
Security footage also appeared to show a person believed to be Robinson seconds after Kirk was fatally shot. The person was seen running along the top of a campus building &#8220;before dropping down onto the grass and heading away from campus on foot, carrying something,&#8221; The New York Times reported.
The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial for Kirk’s assassination.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-chilling-moment-judge-flinches-while-watching-charlie-kirk-assassination-footage?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+Chilling+Moment+Judge+Flinches+While+Watching+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination+Footage">The Chilling Moment Judge Flinches While Watching Charlie Kirk Assassination Footage</a>

Never-Before-Seen Footage Reveals Moments Before And After Kirk Assassination

JUST IN: New Footage Shows Tyler Robinson Just Minutes Before Kirk Assassination 

The judge in the Tyler Robinson murder trial visibly flinched while watching footage of the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
During Monday&#8217;s preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah, Judge Tony Graf Jr. was shown footage from different angles of the moment Kirk was assassinated last September. A livestream of the hearing, which does not show the footage of the murder, shows Graf reacting to the graphic footage. The footage was only shown on monitors in front of the judge and at the attorneys&#8217; tables.
&#8220;This is the heartbreaking moment Judge Graf appears to flinch at approximately the 25-second mark while reviewing a previously unseen angle of Charlie Kirk’s murder during today’s preliminary hearing,&#8221; journalist Sarah Fields, who was in the courtroom, reported. &#8220;The courtroom was silent as the footage played.&#8221;
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This is the heartbreaking moment Judge Graf appears to flinch at approximately the 25-second mark while reviewing a previously unseen angle of Charlie Kirk’s murder during today’s preliminary hearing.
The courtroom was silent as the footage played. <a href="https://t.co/fyWC6Odr3R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/fyWC6Odr3R</a>
— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) <a href="https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2074266744378601629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Notably, Kirk&#8217;s parents, Rob and Kathryn, and his widow, Erika, left the courtroom before the judge watched the footage. The hearing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-and-charlie-kirks-parents-say-assassination-hearing-is-painful-reminder-of-his-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marked</a> the first time the family was face-to-face with Robinson. Donald Trump Jr., who was very close with Kirk for years, was also in attendance.
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NOW — Charlie Kirk&#8217;s parents and Erika Kirk leave the courtroom together as Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense objects to the camera showing a piece of evidence on screen.
Erika was seen wiping away tears with a handkerchief while leaning on Charlie&#8217;s mother&#8217;s shoulder.
Pray for… <a href="https://t.co/Dxr6FcUuLk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/Dxr6FcUuLk</a>
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) <a href="https://x.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2074233520025993515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Brian Entin, senior national correspondent for NewsNation, reported that Robinson &#8220;was laughing with his attorney before the hearing started.&#8221;
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Scene from inside the Tyler Robinson courtroom:
Erika Kirk was crying before the hearing started.
Donald Trump Jr. is in the front row with his wife.
Tyler Robinson was laughing with his attorney before the hearing started.
Erika left during the description of the shooting.
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) <a href="https://x.com/BrianEntin/status/2074180152419119497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Jack Posobiec, a close friend to Kirk, attended the trial too, and also said Robinson &#8220;showed no remorse&#8221; and was &#8220;laughing&#8221; during the hearing.
&#8220;The timeline prosecutors are building is strong,&#8221; Posobiec further <a href="https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/2074329426574168215" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. &#8220;Surveillance placing Robinson on campus before, during, and after the shot. Roof access, sniper position in the gravel, that screwdriver left behind, every piece fits. Defense is already grasping at procedural straws.&#8221;
The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial for Kirk&#8217;s assassination. Prosecutors are continuing to seek the death penalty, which remains on the table if Robinson is convicted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-and-charlie-kirks-parents-say-assassination-hearing-is-painful-reminder-of-his-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Erika Kirk And Charlie Kirk’s Parents Say Assassination Hearing Is ‘Painful Reminder Of His Death’</a>

MixCollage-15-Sep-2025-04-51-PM-6957

The Chilling Moment Judge Flinches While Watching Charlie Kirk Assassination Footage

Regular CNN commentator Scott Jennings exposed what he believed was the accused assassin&#8217;s flaw in targeting Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
In a speech that was originally given in February and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KCxZqSUJfs&amp;t=1s">posted publicly</a> by Hillsdale College on Friday, Jennings told a crowd at Hillsdale College&#8217;s National Leadership Seminar in Amelia Island, Florida, that he thought the gunman&#8217;s ultimate goal was not just to kill Kirk himself, but to put an end to the movement he&#8217;d started — and that he&#8217;d failed because the ideas Kirk stood for could never be killed.
WATCH:
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💥Scott Jennings👏
“I think when the shooter pulled the trigger in Utah, he thought he was ending a movement. He thought if he could kill someone like Charlie Kirk, he could kill what Charlie stood for.”
“That the rest of us would get the message, that we would heed the… <a href="https://t.co/FfDgeh6wTs">pic.twitter.com/FfDgeh6wTs</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/2056120753339138321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Jennings began by pointing to some of the things being taught on college campuses across the United States — namely that the nation was built on racism, the traditional family unit was a tool of oppression, and capitalism was rooted in evil — and commended Kirk for seeing that and trying to make a difference.
&#8220;I think when the shooter pulled the trigger in Utah, he thought he was ending a movement. He thought if he could kill someone like Charlie Kirk, he could kill what Charlie stood for,&#8221; Jennings continued. &#8220;That the rest of us would get the message, that we would heed the warning: &#8216;Silence yourselves or we will do it for you.&#8217; That’s what they thought.&#8221;
&#8220;But in trying to silence one voice, I believe they’ve created thousands. And in trying to end one conversation, they have started millions,&#8221; he added, and applause began to break out around the room. &#8220;Ultimately, what Charlie stood for was faith and freedom. And here’s the thing about those two items: You can’t kill them. You can try to suppress it, and throughout our history people have tried to silence it, but they always find a way, like water finding cracks in a dam.&#8221;

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