Will UTAH prosecutors ask for the death penalty for the accused killer of Charlie Kirk?

The law enforcement officials arrested the man accused of having shot and killed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk in UTAH Friday after a 33 -hour frantic man hunt. The fate of the suspect now depends on whether the state continues the capital accusations as political pressure rises.

Prosecutors have not yet filed charges against Tyler Robinson, the 22 -year -old accused, accused of having killed Kirk after driving nearly four hours at the University of Utah Valley, where Trump Ally’s long -standing word. It also remains difficult if they will ask for the death penalty, a step publicly urged by President Donald Trump and the governor of Utah Spencer Cox.

During a press conference on Friday, Cox said that investigators used stadium surveillance images and Robinson’s family and friends advice to identify it before arrest. He also said accusations would be placed “soon”.

“We got it,” said Cox.

“ It is on us all ”: the legislators examine carefully how political rhetoric played a role in the assassination of Kirk

Utah Spencer Cox governor and FBI director Kash Patel arrive at a press conference concerning the assassination of Charlie Kirk at the University of Utah Valley in Orem, Utah on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Julia Bonavita / Fox News Digital)

The governor promised that Robinson would be “held responsible” for the death of Kirk, which he called a “political assassination”.

“It is certainly the tragic death, the assassination, the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, but it is also much more important than an attack on an individual,” said Cox. “It is an attack on us all. It is an attack on the American experience.”

The graphic death of Kirk and the rare public information revealed in its wake have left the nation by train Revived heated debate Regarding political violence in the United States, he also sparked a litany of questions about how prosecutors will carry the case against Robinson, Utah law and the years of precedent making the sentence difficult to continue.

Gravings on Shooter’s ammunition exposes Charlie Kirk’s assassination

The founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, speaks during a campaign rally for the presidential candidate of the time, Donald Trump, in Desert Diamond Arena on August 23, 2024, in Glendale, in Arizona (Rebecca Noble / Getty Images)

Robinson is detained in Utah County prison. An affidavit of probable cause examined by Fox News Digital lists potential accusations, including aggravated murder, criminal release of a firearm causing serious injuries and obstruction to justice.

UTAH law authorizes prosecutors to request the death penalty only in cases where an individual is accused of “aggravated murder” – or a murder which knowingly “created a great risk of death” to another person in addition to the victim or the accused. The offense is listed in the Affidavit, which could open the door to prosecutors to ask for the death penalty.

The clock is checked: Utah law obliges the prosecutors in the state to deposit a notice of intention Within 60 days of a person who will be arrested for aggravated murder to inform the court and the defense lawyers they plan to judge the case as a capital crime. This starts a complex legal process – including a two -part or branched trial, to decide both guilt and if the defendant should receive a capital sentence.

Otherwise, the case is tried under accusations of “sanction of non -capitalist hand”, eligible for a maximum sentence of prison perpetuity without parole.

Trump says that the conservative activist killed Charlie Kirk was “ like a son ” for him in emotional homage

During a recent interview with Fox News Channel, President Donald Trump praised the values ​​and influence of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Mark Wilson / Getty)

Cox and Trump both suggested in interviews earlier this week that the state should ask for the death penalty against Kirk’s killer, even before Robinson was appointed suspect.

“I hope he gets the death penalty,” said Trump on Friday morning on “Fox & Friends”, calling Kirk “the best person”.

The state of the hive is one of the 27 states that still authorize the death penalty, according to the Information center on the death penalty. It is also one of the five states where the execution of the shooting team remains legal.

Pressure secret services: what Kirk’s assassination means for Trump’s safety

Reserve photos for Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect in the Utah assassination of the co-founder of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk. (Utah Gov. Spencer Cox)

Despite this, capital punishment is rarely prosecuted in Utah. The state has only carried out two executions in the last 20 years and the prisoners have spent an average of 34 years in the death corridor.

Only four men are currently in the death corridor in Utah, each for “decades”, according to Kutv.

For Robinson, whose criminal trial will attract national attention, in particular the president and his allies, he is still far too early to predict the result.

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Already, the case of Robinson has fueled intense speculation – even if some legislators have urged calm.

“The story will dictate if it is a turning point for our country,” said Cox, “but each of us can choose at the moment if it is a turning point for us.”