On September 14, Utah Governor Spencer Cox appeared on CNN to discuss the Charlie Kirk assassination and the state’s efforts to pursue charges against the suspect, Tyler Robinson.
According to the governor, the suspect is in custody, but he is not being cooperative with investigators. He has not confessed to the crime. In contrast, Robinson’s family, friends, and romantic partner are all cooperating with the FBI in its investigation. The governor also confirmed the ongoing rumors that Robinson’s housemate and boyfriend identifies as transgender going from male to female. He further stated that this fact may or may not be tied to the motive, which police are still working to uncover.
During the interview, the governor also stated that Robinson regularly entertained leftist ideology that left him “deeply indoctrinated.” The 22-year-old grew up in a conservative household but had a very different perspective from his family.
Friends and family members told authorities that Robinson had become increasingly political over the past few years.
Governor Cox implied that social media and algorithms likely played a massive role in “radicalizing” and “indoctrinating” the suspect. In the interview, he went on to explain how social media directly impacts the younger generation and has become a “cancer” over the past decade.
Robinson was arrested after a few details emerged. For one, he implied involvement in the shooting to a family member. The family member reached out to a friend who then told the police about the incriminating statement. What’s more, Robinson’s father later identified him in FBI photographs of the suspect.
A family member also spoke to authorities and confirmed that they had directly spoken to the suspect about Charlie Kirk coming to the university. During the conversation, Robinson said that Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.
Utah is a state that utilizes capital punishment, meaning it’s possible for Robinson to get sentenced to the death penalty as a result of his actions.
How to Handle Criminal Charges and an Arrest
Right now, Robinson has made the decision not to cooperate with authorities. As of September 17th, Robinson has not hired an attorney, and a lawyer has not yet been assigned to represent him. Robinson appeared in an initial hearing via videolink. He was wearing an anti-suicide vest and did not speak at all other than to state his name for the court.
Robinson has been charged with felony aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. During this hearing, prosecutors stated they intend to pursue the death penalty.
If you ever get arrested, then your best move is to hire a lawyer regardless of the severity of your charges. It’s never a good idea to face criminal charges without a legal advocate, especially if you’re potentially facing consequences like the death penalty or life in prison.
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