Jessica SchreifelsCharlie Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, are expected to travel to Utah next week to attend a weeklong evidentiary hearing in the case against the man accused of killing him.
During the preliminary hearing, which starts July 6, prosecutors will present evidence they say is sufficient enough to send Tyler Robinson’s case to trial. It will mark the first time they publicly lay out a substantial portion of their evidence in court.
Kirk’s widow and parents will be there as a “unified support system,” according to a source familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.
They are expected to attend the entire weeklong hearing, though a prosecutor recently indicated in court that Kirk’s family may leave the courtroom before graphic or sensitive evidence is shown.
This will be the first time Kirk’s family have attended court proceedings in Provo.
Robinson, 23, is facing multiple charges, including aggravated murder, in connection with Kirk’s Sept. 10 death. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Prosecutors plan to call a handful of police officers to testify as they lay out their case. It also is expected that a recorded statement from Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner at the time of Kirk’s death, will be played during the hearing.
The statement, prosecutors have said, details how Robinson allegedly told Twiggs not to talk to police after he confessed that he had killed Kirk, hid the gun and threw away his clothing.
A preliminary hearing is not a trial, and the burden of proof is much lower: 4th District Judge Tony Graf only needs to determine that there is “probable cause” that Robinson likely committed a crime, compared to the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard that jurors must find in a trial.
Graf must also view all of the preliminary hearing evidence in the light most favorable to the state.
Robinson will enter a plea to the charges once Graf determines whether there is probable cause for the case to move forward. A trial date has not been set.
Jessica Schreifels, formerly Jessica Miller, is an investigative reporter at The Salt Lake Tribune, where she has worked since 2011. She was part of the team that won a 2017 Pulitzer Prize. She has collaborated with several national outlets for investigative projects, including FRONTLINE, American Public Media and ProPublica.