PROVO, Utah — In a highly anticipated court session this Thursday, Utah prosecutors aim to showcase audio recordings of law enforcement officials questioning the roommate of the suspect in the death of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.
The defense team has strongly opposed the public dissemination of statements made by Tyler Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs. They argue that presenting these statements as admissions could prejudice public opinion, thereby infringing upon Robinson’s right to an impartial trial if aired by the media.
Facing an aggravated murder charge, Robinson has yet to submit a plea. He surrendered to authorities a day following the shooting that claimed Kirk’s life. Kirk, a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, was instrumental in energizing young voters for Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Prosecutors claim that Robinson left a note for Twiggs allegedly confessing, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” Moreover, it’s alleged Robinson texted Twiggs, indicating Kirk was targeted out of a personal vendetta against his “hatred.”
Twiggs provided statements to law enforcement on September 12, just two days after Kirk was killed during an event at Utah Valley University, and again on April 20. With immunity granted for these interviews, Twiggs’ comments are protected from being used against him in any legal proceedings.
State District Judge Tony Graf will decide at the conclusion of this week’s preliminary hearing if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Robinson to trial.
Robinson’s attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence but have sought to get the death penalty taken off the table, so far unsuccessfully.
Attorneys for Kirk’s family and the media had urged the judge to make Twiggs’ statements and other evidence public.
“To not be transparent, to not be open and let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system,” Kirk family lawyer Jeffrey Neiman told Graf.
Investigators say Robinson went to a rooftop near where Kirk was speaking and shot him once through the neck as the activist was taking questions from a crowd of several thousand people. Kirk was declared dead after being taken to a hospital.
Investigators found the suspected murder weapon – a bolt-action rifle with one spent round – wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot.
Robinson’s lawyers earlier this week questioned the reliability of DNA testing used to link the defendant to the towel and gun.
A member of Tyler Robinson’s defense team interrogated a DNA analyst from the FBI about the techniques she used to connect Robinson to the evidence. Defense lawyer Michael Burt cast doubt on the analyst’s conclusions.
“She can’t match Mr. Robinson to the questioned samples,” Burt argued.
But forensics expert Lawrence Quarino said law enforcement agencies use “extremely reliable” tests to determine the probability that a person matches with DNA found at a crime scene.
DNA testing “is the gold standard in forensic science,” said Quarino, a professor and director of the forensic science program at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania.
Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
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