By The Daily Wire (World News) | Created at 2026-09-02 14:50:36 | Updated at 2026-09-02 16:43:40
7 hours ago
Utah prosecutors pushed back against Tyler Robinson’s attorneys on Tuesday after the defense claimed that conservative leader Charlie Kirk expressed “hateful” views.
Defense lawyer Richard Novak argued that Kirk spoke “hatefully” about people who do not hold traditional gender norms and those who are not heterosexual, while also highlighting Robinson’s relationship with Lance Twiggs, who identifies as transgender. Novak claimed there is a “gap” between Kirk’s “hateful” views and Robinson’s alleged motives, effectively trying to undermine the idea that this was a politically motivated assassination, an issue that could affect the prosecution’s effort to pursue the death penalty.
“It is true that Mr. Kirk spoke hatefully of certain groups of people,” Novak claimed. “He spoke hatefully of people who don’t have traditional norm-conforming gender identities. He spoke hatefully of people who are not strictly heterosexual. He spoke hatefully of people who have sexual relationships out of marriage. And yes, it is true that the evidence from Mr. Twiggs is that he identified in a non-gender-conforming way to his friends, and that he was in a romantic relationship with Mr. Robinson.”
“But that doesn’t mean that those personal choices by Mr. Twiggs and by Mr. Robinson equate with the hate that at least Mr. Robinson says he had toward Mr. Kirk,” Novak continued. “There’s a gap between what it is that Mr. Kirk said and stood for … and what it is that Mr. Robinson felt about him.”
“And it’s a significant gap because what it allows the state to do is to make it up,” he added. “‘Oh, it must be about this relationship.’ … And that’s an inference without evidence.”
The prosecution, though, immediately seized on the defense’s characterization, arguing that it actually strengthens the state’s case about Robinson targeting Kirk because of his political and religious views.
Prosecutor Chad Grunander responded, saying that the state “takes great exceptions with Mr. Novak attributing all of this ‘hate’ to Mr. Kirk during his argument today,” according to The Washington Times.
“He had an opinion that he would express on politics and religion. That doesn’t make it hate, but the fact that Mr. Novak even considered it as hate makes the case for the state,” Grunander said. “In his client’s own words, he hated what Mr. Kirk stood for.”
Judge Tony Graf agreed that the state had established probable cause that Robinson intentionally selected Kirk because of what Robinson perceived as Kirk’s protected political expression.
The state also pointed to the engraved shell casings as evidence of a political motive. Three unfired casings found with the rifle allegedly contained messages including “Hey fascist! CATCH!” and the lyrics “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao” — a reference to the Italian anti-fascist resistance song “Bella Ciao” — as well as “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao.”
Notably, the defense during the preliminary hearing did not offer an alternative theory for who shot Kirk. Instead, Robinson’s attorneys focused heavily on whether prosecutors have met the legal requirements necessary to make the 23-year-old eligible for the death penalty.
The judge ultimately ruled Tuesday that Robinson will stand trial on the aggravated murder charge, leaving the death penalty on the table. Robinson pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
