Tyler Robinson's defense in trouble; Charlie Kirk shooter would need a ‘bold and brave’ lawyer

Tyler Robinson was declared indigent during his first pretrial hearing after the Charlie Kirk shooting last week.

Published on: Sep 17, 2025, 03:14:48 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Tyler Robinson was declared indigent during his first pretrial hearing after the Charlie Kirk shooting last week. A defense attorney who made an appearance on behalf of the 22-year-old suspect said that the county is working to get counsel assigned to him. In Utah, certain qualifications are required for an attorney to handle a homicide case. According to the declaration filed, Robinson is indigent.

Tyler Robinson appeared for his hearing via webcam on Tuesday (AFP)

The trial will begin on September 29, the judge announced.

“I hope there will be a lawyer brave enough, bold enough, and competent enough to provide this man an adequate defense, whether he's guilty or innocent,” Alan Dershowitz, Professor at Harvard Law School, told Newsmax.

What does indigent mean?

This legal term, rooted in the Latin "indigens" (meaning "needy"), refers to an individual who lacks sufficient financial resources to afford legal representation or other court-related costs. In Robinson’s case, a defense attorney noted that Utah County is working to assign counsel, reflecting his inability to hire a private lawyer due to financial hardship.

Tyler Robinson charges

Earlier in the day, prosecutors announced that they are bringing a murder charge against Robinson, further demanding the death penalty. As evidence, they presented text messages from the suspect to his roommate and partner.

Officials stated that the DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson.

Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, who was shot on September 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University.

Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him.

(With inputs from The Associated Press)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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