The defendant Tyler Robinson in the conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk murder case has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him; however, Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf ruled that there was enough evidence to proceed with a capital murder charge. The new ruling and not guilty plea come nearly a year after the founder of Turning Point USA was killed by a single gunshot wound to his neck. He was shot dead on September 10, 2025, while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. Robinson has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him as prosecutors argued that there was overwhelming evidence that the 23-year-old fired the fatal shot.

The defendant's lawyers argued that the shooting did not meet the standard for a death penalty charge, noting that the assailant only harmed one victim and did not target anyone else in the gathering. Now, a jury will decide on the matter. The late activist's wife Erika Kirk and his parents Robert and Kathryn were in the courtroom during Tuesday's hearing. In a statement after the hearing, the Kirk family said: "Today's decision, which comes nearly a year since Charlie was taken from us, marks an important step in our family's pursuit of justice for him."