A defense attorney's assertion that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was "hateful" during a preliminary hearing for the man accused of his assassination has drawn sharp criticism from legal professionals and the victim's family.
Richard Novak, defense attorney for Tyler Robinson, 23, made the remarks Tuesday during oral arguments at the 4th District Court in Provo, Utah. Robinson is accused of fatally shooting Kirk, 31, on September 10, 2025, in front of thousands of people at Utah Valley University.
"I think what the defense attorney said regarding Charlie Kirk and that he was full of hate, that was so unprofessional," said David Gelman, a New Jersey-based criminal defense attorney not involved in the case. "That was so out of left field that he honestly — he should be embarrassed of what he said."
Novak argued against binding the case over for trial, stating that Kirk "spoke hatefully of certain groups of people" and that there was a "significant gap" between Kirk's views and Robinson's feelings about him. Kirk's parents, widow, and other relatives were present in the courtroom during Novak's argument.
"You don't ever and I mean ever say that, No. 1, as a defense attorney or a prosecutor, especially not even at a trial," Gelman said. "If you want to paint Charlie as a bad person in front of the jury, knock your socks off. Do whatever you think you have to do. But to do that at a preliminary hearing...when you have the victim's family all there, that was totally uncalled for."
Chief Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander and Kirk family attorney Jeffrey Neiman also pushed back on Novak's comments. Grunander stated that no evidence presented during the hearing indicated Kirk was hateful, adding that expressing opinions on politics and religion does not constitute hate. "The state takes great exception with Mr. Novak attributing all of this 'hate' to Mr. Kirk during his argument today," Grunander told the court.
Neiman countered that Kirk was the "opposite of hate" and that "firing a bullet into a crowd and assassinating him. That is hate."
Prosecutors allege that Robinson confessed to the crime in text messages to his roommate and romantic partner at the time, Lance Twiggs. In these messages, the sender reportedly stated, "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out."
Gelman also defended Kirk's character, saying, "Charlie Kirk was not full of hatred. If anything, he was full of love...He brought people together. He was there doing a free speech event, all right? He's trying to bring people on the left on the right together."
Judge Tony Graf Jr. bound over all charges against Robinson for trial, including the death penalty-eligible charge of aggravated murder. Robinson, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, is due back in court on October 23 for a pretrial conference where a trial date may be set.