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Tyler Robinson's parents, Lance Twiggs to testify for prosecution? New details out on Charlie Kirk murder
Attorneys for alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson have revealed who prosecutors intend to call to the stand.
Attorneys for alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson have revealed who prosecutors intend to call to the stand. They are also asking the court to delay the preliminary hearing.
The filing was made by defense attorneys on Friday. It stated that prosecutors are planning to call Robinson's parents and his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, to testify at the preliminary hearing, according to Fox News.
Robinson's defense team asked the judge for a minimum six-month delay for the preliminary hearing. It is currently scheduled for May 18.
During a meeting on March 12, Robinson's defense team said that defense attorneys received more than 600,000 files from prosecutors, which will reportedly take time to review. The discovery isn't complete either.
"Discovery in this case is incomplete, voluminous, and the processing of it is complex," the defense team wrote.
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One of the defense's experts, a forensic biologist, said that she would need months to review the evidence.
Robinson's defense attorneys’ filing does not request that the next court hearing on April 17 be pushed back. The hearing will focus on public and media access to future court hearings. It includes a defense motion to ban cameras from the courtroom.
Robinson's defense team intends to show evidence they think contains "harmful and prejudicial media coverage of this case thus far."
"While there is simply not enough time to present all of what is referenced in the ‘motion to exclude cameras,’ the compilation anticipated will highlight the most egregious and most concerning media coverage impacting Mr. Robinson’s case," his attorneys wrote.
Tyler Robinson's defense team cites conflict of interest
Judge Tony Graf denied a motion from Robinson's lawyers during a February 24 hearing that would have removed prosecutors from the case. Robinson's defense team claimed that there was a conflict of interest because a prosecutor's daughter was at the Utah event where Kirk was murdered.
In response, Graf said that the court was "unpersuaded" by the defense team's argument of an "appearance of bias" from prosecutors.
"Because defendant has not established a factual basis for a finding of conflict of interest or an objective appearance of impropriety, rising to a constitutional concern, his motion is respectfully denied," Graf said. "In sum, the defendant has not shown that there is a significant risk that Mr. Gray's loyalty to his daughter has or will materially limit representation of the state. Nor has defendant demonstrated that his due process rights are compromised by the continued prosecution of this case by the Utah County Attorney's Office."
Kirk, 31, was allegedly shot dead by Robinson on September 10 during an appearance at a campus event in Utah. The shooting happened around 12:20 pm local time during a student Q&A at UVU in Orem, per a statement from Utah Valley University (UVU).
Robinson is facing several charges for killing Kirk, including aggravated murder. The charges are death penalty eligible.
