Utah prosecutors on Tuesday began presenting DNA evidence that they say ties Tyler Robinson to the killing of Charlie Kirk as part of a five-day preliminary hearing to determine whether the case should move to trial.
DNA Evidence Details
Jennifer Faumuina, a prosecution witness and Utah investigator, told the court that FBI testing found Robinson’s DNA and that of his roommate on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where authorities believed the perpetrator fired from. Their DNA was also found on a towel that was wrapped around a rifle that officials say was used in the killing.
Robinson’s roommate has not been accused of playing any role in the killing of the far-right commentator last September. Robinson, who has not yet entered a plea in the case, has been charged with aggravated murder. The state is seeking the death penalty against Robinson.
Prosecution's Case
Prosecutors say that Robinson allegedly confessed to the crime in a note he left his roommate, who was also his romantic partner, telling them he “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred”. This week, prosecutors showed video footage that they say depicts Robinson entering the campus of Utah Valley University on the day of Kirk’s killing and climbing on to a roof from where they say he fired a fatal shot. The state also submitted graphic footage of the shooting into evidence that was not shown to the public.
Defense Challenges
Defense attorneys for the 23-year-old challenged the reliability of the DNA testing, and were expected to continue that line of questioning when proceedings resumed on Wednesday afternoon. On Tuesday afternoon, Michael Burt, one of Robinson’s defense attorneys, asked Amanda Bakker, an FBI forensic analyst, about a 2004 report that found “a number of errors” with the way testing was performed at the Quantico, Virginia, laboratory where the DNA analysis took place. The prosecution objected to the move.
Robinson’s defense on Tuesday also challenged the idea that he was hostile to Kirk’s politics, and attempted to block prosecutors from introducing a statement describing the traditional Christian values of Turning Point USA. “This doesn’t say anything about Mr Robinson’s state of mind,” Novak said about the statement. “I don’t think that this court should be deciding – based on the record before it – where, if at all, politics and religion intersect.”
Hearing Background
The hearing has also included testimony from law enforcement describing the shooting, its immediate aftermath and the early stages of the investigation. The case continues with further proceedings scheduled.
