Charlie Kirk murder trial decision delayed to September

A US judge said Friday that a preliminary hearing over the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk will resume in September, delaying a decision on whether there is enough evidence to hold a murder trial.

The ruling followed a week of evidence in a Utah court in the case against Tyler Robinson, 23, who faces the death penalty for allegedly killing Kirk.

Kirk was shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at a college campus event organised by Turning Point, his right-wing youth organisation that campaigned for President Donald Trump.

Prosecutors presented Robinson's video gamer chats and text messages. They said the messages proved he killed Kirk because he was “fed up” with the “hate” spread by the influencer.

Robinson's defense cast doubt on DNA analysis linking him to the killing and has not said how he will plead.

Judge Tony Graf said the preliminary hearing will resume in September after lawyers submit written statements. Kirk's family said the hearing was “an important step forward in the pursuit of justice.”