Lawyers for man charged with killing Charlie Kirk question reliability of evidence

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Lawyers for the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk plan to call a final witness on Friday as they try to raise doubts about the prosecution's case before it can go to trial.

A Utah judge is deciding whether prosecutors have enough evidence to put Tyler Robinson on trial on a charge of aggravated murder. Kirk, 31, was killed as he spoke to a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

One of Robinson's attorneys, Michael Burt, tried to inject uncertainty into the case Thursday by challenging the reliability of ballistics tests on a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk’s body. Authorities sought to tie the fragment to the suspected murder weapon, but the results were inconclusive.

“Saying anything but inconclusive was inappropriate,” said Samantha Karner with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.

Burt earlier in the week questioned the reliability of DNA evidence that investigators said linked Robinson to the scene. Experts say the science behind DNA testing is sound.

Robinson has not entered a plea. He turned himself in a day after the fatal shooting of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump credited with helping galvanize young voters for the Republican in the 2024 election.

The defense said it would call a final witness to testify Friday, the final day of the weeklong preliminary hearing.

However, a decision from state District Judge Tony Graf won’t come until after Sept. 1, when he scheduled oral arguments in the matter.

Prosecutors on Thursday aired portions of a recorded interview with Robinson's roommate, Lance Twiggs.

The day after Kirk was shot in the neck, Robinson allegedly told Twiggs “he wishes he hadn’t done it,” a recording played in court revealed.

Later that same day — and only about an hour before turning himself in — Robinson posted “it was me at UVU yesterday,” in a chat room on the Discord social media platform, according to investigators and messages shown by prosecutors.

Defense attorneys unsuccessfully fought the public release of the statements from Twiggs and the chat room messages. They argued prosecutors would characterize the material as a confession, undermining Robinson’s right to a fair trial.

Prosecutors contend the shooting endangered others at Kirk’s campus event — an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law. Robinson also faces possible sentence enhancements based on claims by prosecutors that he targeted Kirk because of his political views.

Twiggs said in the April interview with prosecutors and investigators that Robinson sometimes talked about politics, including Trump. But Twiggs said he never heard Robinson talk about Kirk before the shooting. The defendant also did not talk much about gender issues or LGBTQ rights, Twiggs said.

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

A law enforcement officer uses binoculars to watch from the roof of the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo, Utah, Thursday, July 9, 2026, before a preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps)

Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, listens during a preliminary hearing at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo, Utah, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps, Pool)

A video interview with Lance Twiggs, Tyler Robinson's roommate and reported romantic partner, is shown during a preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo, Utah, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps, Pool)

Charlie Kirk's parents, Kathryn, and Robert Kirk, right, arrive at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo, Utah, for a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, Thursday, July 9, 2026 (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wyatt Langford lined a shot off the wall in left field to bring home Alejandro Osuna in the ninth inning, lifting Texas to a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels after the Rangers blew a five-run lead Thursday night.

Langford struck out three of his first four times up as the designated hitter after getting activated from the 10-day injured list the first day the outfielder was eligible after dealing with a left hamstring strain.

Osuna led off the ninth with a single and went to second on pinch-hitter Nicky Lopez's sacrifice bunt. Langford lined a 1-1 fastball from former Texas closer Kirby Yates (0-4) over Jose Siri's head for the winning single.

Jo Adell had a tying pinch-hit single to cap a five-run seventh a night after homering twice in the Angels' 13-1 victory.

Cole Winn (4-2) got Adell on a sharp liner to center field to end the ninth with the potential go-ahead run at third after replacing All-Star closer Jacob Latz, who went 1 2/3 innings in his first outing in nine days.

Nathan Eovaldi struck out a season-high 10 for Texas but didn't get a win in a fifth consecutive start, which would have given him 10 victories. He exited with no outs in the seventh after Dezner Guzman reached on catcher's interference, Logan O'Hoppe walked and Wade Meckler's single scored Guzman.

Peyton Gray replaced Eovaldi and gave up a two-run single to Nolan Schanuel, who had four hits, and an RBI single to Jorge Soler.

Brandon Nimmo, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue homered for Texas in the first four innings off Reid Detmers. The left-hander hadn’t allowed more than one long ball in any of his first 18 starts.

Angels: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-2, 8.06 ERA) is set to come off the IL and start Friday night at Minnesota.

Rangers: RHP Cal Quantrill (3-1, 3.35), who has three starts in his first 18 appearances, is scheduled to face Houston at home.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell hits a run scoring single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe (14) is out at home plate against Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) on a bases loaded force out during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Ezequiel Duran (20) and Nicky Lopez, left, celebrates with Wyatt Langford a game winning single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford hits a runs scoring single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford is doused after hitting the winning single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)