Prosecutors to seek death penalty for Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin

Utah prosecutors vowed on Tuesday to seek the death penalty for the accused assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and revealed new details of their case, including text messages in which he was alleged to have privately confessed to the fatal shooting, Reuters writes.

“I had enough of his hatred,” Tyler Robinson, 22, told his roommate and romantic partner when asked why he had committed the murder.

The office of Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray charged Robinson with seven criminal counts on Tuesday, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice for disposing of evidence and witness tampering for asking his roommate to delete incriminating texts. The evidence against him includes a note in which he wrote, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Some politicians, including U.S. President Donald Trump, have called for capital punishment in the case.

Robinson made an initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon via video feed from jail. Finding Robinson unable to afford legal counsel, Utah Fourth District Judge Tony Graf said he would appoint a defense attorney before the next court hearing, set for Sept. 29.

In the meantime, he was ordered to remain held without bond in the Washington County Jail, where, according to a sheriff’s spokesperson, he has been placed under a “special watch protocol” that includes increased supervision.