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

assassination

Charlie Kirk

Crime

Tyler Robinson

Utah

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;
&nbsp;
<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

Donald Trump

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

Courts

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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

Court

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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

Judge

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;

Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University

Scott Jennings Exposes How Charlie Kirk Assassin Failed In His Ultimate Mission

Scott Jennings Exposes The Flaw In Charlie Kirk Assassination

Media

Politics

Scott Jennings

A leftist mounting a long-shot campaign against Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman was arrested after he called on his senator to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to the FBI. 
Raymond Chandler III was arrested Friday after law enforcement said he left several disturbing calls threatening the president. Chandler is also accused of leaving a message for the senator describing how he and his daughter would have their throats slit by a mob of people upset about their wealth. 
“They pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat,” Chandler said in a message to an unnamed member of Congress, according to an FBI affidavit. “That you know, sir, that is the future. It&#8217;s not a future I want, it&#8217;s not a future I&#8217;m advocating for, but wealth concentration has gotten so bad in this country.”
It&#8217;s unclear from the affidavit if Chandler left the messages for Fetterman or for Republican Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick. 
Chandler, who supports abolishing ICE and wants to go after billionaires, <a href="https://chandlerforsenate.com/my_values/">describes</a> himself as a Quaker-Buddhist who wants everyone to be treated with “empathy, kindness,” and respect. 
“The greed has gotten so bad. People are suffering so much, sir, that that is what is in our future,” he added in the call, according to the FBI. “You will not escape their wrath. We must redistribute the wealth away from people like you.”
He was charged with multiple counts related to threats against federal officials and their families. In another phone call, Chandler is accused of calling for his senator to assassinate President Donald Trump. 
“Sir, I’m calling this evening because what I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand,” he allegedly said. “I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the President’s head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him.”
He said that Trump was “awful,” “a liar among all liars,” and the “antichrist.” 
“I want you to put it to his temple, and I want you to pull the trigger. That is what I want you to do as my agent,” Chandler said, according to the affidavit. “That’s what I want you to do as my elected official. That’s what I am petitioning you to do with my free speech. I want you to kill the President. I want you to assassinate the President. That’s what I want you to do.”
Chandler previously left messages advocating for “armed resistance” to ICE alongside his willingness to “go to war and to ‘personally kill,’” according to the FBI. A lawyer appointed to represent Chandler declined to comment. A hearing is set for May 8 to determine whether to keep Chandler in federal custody.
Trump has faced a number of major assassination attempts, including most recently at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner when a gunman attempted to storm into the ballroom where he sat alongside other top government officials.

MixCollage-04-May-2026-07-36-AM-2026

Leftist Senate Candidate Arrested After Urging Senator To Do This To Trump

John Fetterman

Pennsylvania

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, allegedly wrote in a message to his trans-identifying boyfriend that he had an “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it,&#8221; according to new court documents.
Robinson sent his boyfriend, whom he referred to as &#8220;Luna,&#8221; a message on the day of the shooting at Utah Valley University that said, &#8220;drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard,&#8221; according to a search warrant affidavit <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51481672/tyler-killed-charlie-search-warrants-detail-messages-allegedly-sent-after-kirk-killing">obtained by KSL</a>.
“Luna, if you are reading this per my text, then I am so sorry. I left the house this morning on a mission, and sent an auto text. I am likely dead or facing a lengthy prison sentence. I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it,” the letter states, according to KSL.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if I will/have succeeded, but I had hoped to make it home to you. I wish we could have lived in a world where this did not feel necessary. I wish I could have stayed for you and lived our lives together. I lack the words to express how much I love you, and how very much you mean to me. Please try and find joy in this life. I love you, always, -Tyler,&#8221; <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51481672/tyler-killed-charlie-search-warrants-detail-messages-allegedly-sent-after-kirk-killing">the letter reviewed by KSL said</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-disturbing-texts-between-tyler-robinson-and-his-trans-love-after-charlie-kirk-assassination">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that Robinson’s mother told investigators that her son became more political and left-leaning over the past year, adopting pro-gay and pro-transgender views.
The new details shed light on some of Robinson&#8217;s last communications before being taken into custody, including a group chat on Discord where an unidentified person said, “Tyler killed Charlie!!!!&#8221; per KSL.
&#8220;Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. I&#8217;m sorry for all this. I&#8217;m surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few moments. Thanks for all the good times and laughs, you&#8217;ve all been so amazing. Thank you all for everything,&#8221; Robinson allegedly said to the Discord group chat.
The unsealed documents also reveal that the state collected new DNA evidence, including &#8220;fingerprints and a smeared palm print in the vicinity of the northeast corner rooftop edge of the Losee Center building where Robinson dropped from the rooftop to the ground below,&#8221; <a href="https://www.eastidahonews.com/2026/04/tyler-killed-charlie-search-warrants-detail-messages-allegedly-sent-after-kirk-killing/">according to East Idaho News</a>.
Robinson is scheduled to be back in court on April 17, and if ultimately convicted, could face the death penalty.

Inside The Twisted Confession Tyler Robinson Is Accused Of Sending His Boyfriend

Murder

U.S.

CO conspiracy

Debunking The Erika Kirk Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Theory

Erika Kirk

Matt Walsh

TPUSA

Turning Point USA

A Utah judge dismissed an attempt by Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense team to have the prosecution disqualified on Tuesday, dealing yet another blow to the attorneys defending the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. 
Robinson’s attorneys argued that the prosecutors should be recused after discovering that a daughter of one of the prosecutors was present at Kirk’s event when the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated on September 10, 2025. State District Judge Tony Graf said the prosecutors can remain on the case as the daughter&#8217;s presence at the event “did not materially influence” the prosecutor&#8217;s actions in the case.
Robinson appeared virtually for Tuesday&#8217;s hearing. He has been charged with aggravated murder, which makes him eligible for the death penalty under state law. 
Judge Graf’s decision on Tuesday keeps Robinson’s trial on track as prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Robinson’s defense team argued that there was a conflict of interest for the prosecution, since the daughter of deputy county attorney Chad Grunander was in attendance at Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University last September. 
The prosecution <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirks-suspected-assassin-fights-death-penalty-says-trump-influenced-prosecutor">pushed back</a> on the defense team’s claim, saying there is no conflict of interest with Grunander’s daughter and that she did not have a direct line of sight to the shooter. Grunander’s daughter also testified in court and said she did not realize Kirk had been shot until after she ran to safety, the Associated Press reported. 
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray said in a filing, “Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case.” 
Graf agreed and said on Tuesday that the daughter had “no unique, relevant information” about the assassination of Kirk that would potentially put her on the witness stand.
Robinson’s attorneys also claimed earlier this month that the prosecution’s quick decision to seek the death penalty was influenced by President Donald Trump, who said shortly after Kirk’s assassination that he hoped the killer would get the death penalty. Gray said that he wanted to decide on pursuing the death penalty quickly to avoid media speculation. 
“The longer you delay that decision … the more delay, then it just creates all this unnecessary speculation and everything else,” Gray said, adding that he did it to prevent “unnecessary angst with the families of victims … so Erika Kirk didn’t have to deal with that uncertainty.”
Judge Graf’s decision comes hours before President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to Congress, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-to-attend-state-of-the-union-as-president-trumps-guest?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=Exclusive&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Erika+Kirk+To+Be+Trump%E2%80%99s+Special+Guest+At+State+Of+The+Union">Erika Kirk in attendance</a> as one of his special guests. Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump will mention both Erika Kirk and her late husband during his speech.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation’s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
The decision marks yet another loss for Robinson&#8217;s defense team. Late last year, Graf said that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom for the trial, dismissing the defense team&#8217;s claim that the media&#8217;s courtroom access could result in an unfair trial for Robinson.

Judge Rejects Bid To Oust Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Judge Dismisses Defense Effort To Remove Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

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