The family of Charlie Kirk came face to face with his accused assassin, Tyler Robinson, for the first time in a Utah courtroom on Monday, the first day of a week-long preliminary hearing.
Robinson, 23, was already seated in the courtroom before members of the media were allowed in at around 8:55 a.m. He wore a gray suit, pink shirt, and black tie, with his wrists and ankles cuffed. During the hearing, when videos of Kirk's shooting death were played, Robinson showed no visible response when the sound of the fatal gunshot rang out.
Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent David Hull testified, introducing several videos, including images of Kirk's death that were not shown publicly in court. Two of the videos described the moment a sniper's bullet struck Kirk in the neck and included audio that reporters could hear. While Judge Tony Graf Jr. flinched and leaned away from the screen when the shot rang out, Robinson remained still.
Kirk's family had left the courtroom before the graphic evidence was introduced. They were expected to receive warnings, and they left twice ahead of mentions of the assassination itself. For much of the rest of the hearing, Erika Kirk and her in-laws, Rob and Kathy Kirk, sat next to each other, watching the proceedings closely.
Officer Christopher Bagley, a witness from the Spanish Fork Police Department, testified that he believed he heard a rifle shot from the direction of the Losee Center. He reviewed surveillance video showing the suspect on top of the roof and found footprints in the grass and scuff marks on the roof. Defense attorney Kathy Nester asked Bagley if his police report mentioned a direction the shot came from, and he said it did not.
Prosecutors planned to show UVU surveillance video, but the defense objected, citing that the video had not been properly authenticated. The objection was sustained, and the video was not played. Hull is expected to resume testimony on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. MT.
The court is expected to hear a previously recorded statement from Robinson's former lover, Lance Twiggs, who prosecutors allege received a written confession after the crime. Robinson has not yet entered a plea and could face the death penalty if convicted of the top charge against him, aggravated murder.
