Update July 7, 2026, 4:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional coverage of the hearing.
Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University last September, is in a Provo, Utah, courtroom this week for a major preliminary hearing that will determine whether the case against him proceeds.
Judge Tony Graf, of Utah’s Fourth District Court, is overseeing the hearing to decide whether there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial. Robinson faces 10 charges, including aggravated murder, and the state is seeking the death penalty.
The Preliminary Hearing
The hearing, which functions as a mini-trial complete with witnesses, cross-examinations, and evidence, is scheduled to last five days. The Utah County Attorney’s Office is expected to call four law enforcement witnesses to testify and present 40 to 50 pieces of evidence, including a video statement from Robinson’s ‘trans’ lover and roommate Lance Twiggs. The judge previously denied a defense request to force Twiggs to travel from Texas to testify in person.
Robinson’s legal team, meanwhile, has indicated it plans to call at least three forensic witnesses to the stand.
The key difference between a preliminary hearing and a trial is that prosecutors must only prove to the judge that there is “probable cause” to believe the crime was committed and the defendant is the one who committed it. This is a lower legal bar than the state’s burden to prove its case “beyond a reasonable doubt” to a jury.
Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, and his parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk, are among those attending the closely watched proceedings. They released a statement prior to the hearing getting underway on Monday:
“Charlie was a beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and father. Every court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death and the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children. We remain deeply grateful for the support, prayers, and kindness we have received. This outpouring has sustained us during the darkest days of our lives. Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask for continued privacy as we navigate this process and immense grief.”
How to Watch
Judge Graf ruled last month that cameras would be permitted in the courtroom, and the entire hearing is available to livestream on Megyn’s YouTube channel here.
On Monday’s edition of The Megyn Kelly Show, Megyn explained the decision to stream the proceedings in their entirety while also offering top-notch legal analysis. “This is going to be a very emotional week… as we hear great details about how this went down, what happened to Charlie, and what happened at Utah Valley University last September,” she said.
“We are going to cover every single angle of this case for our audience. We are not going to assume anything. We are going to go into this with defense attorneys who will argue… from the defense perspective, with prosecutors who will argue from the prosecution’s perspective, and from those who think it is possible this guy had absolutely nothing to do with it,” Megyn explained. “We will take a very fair look at this case as we go on.”
“I don’t care about any of the bullshit around this. I care about Charlie, I care about his family, and I care about being very factual in our coverage of what happens out there, both this week and when, as I believe, it will be held over for trial,” she continued. “That is my own commitment to you.”
Throughout the week, Megyn was joined by top attorneys and legal experts to react to the biggest moments of the hearing and break down what it means for the case. Keep scrolling for complete, day-by-day coverage.
Day 1
The Emotional Element
Megyn reflects on the emotion surrounding the pretrial hearing, her final personal interactions with Kirk just months before his death, the heartbreaking moment she heard he had been shot, and more.
Why We’re Seeing a Rare Preliminary Hearing
MK True Crime contributors Dave Aronberg and Ashleigh Merchant and former litigator Viva Frei join Megyn to discuss the real reason prosecutors are moving forward with this rare preliminary hearing, how Utah’s legal process differs from other states, the ways the hearing benefits the defense, and more.
A Closer Look at the Bullet Debate
Megyn is joined by MK True Crime contributors Mark Geragos and Matt Murphy and Frei to break down the major debate over the bullet evidence in the case, whether the autopsy and forensics will help the prosecution or defense during the trial, and more.
Key Details About Robinson’s ‘Trans’ Lover
Megyn, Aronberg, Merchant, and Frei to discuss the key testimony from Robinson’s alleged ‘trans’ lover Lance Twiggs, why Twiggs is a crucial witness for the prosecution, the odd alleged text messages between the two of them, and more.
Robinson Defense Pokes Holes in Police Story
Megyn, Geragos, Murphy, and Frei react to the defense team’s efforts to poke holes in the prosecution’s case on day one, questions surrounding George Zinn’s bizarre arrest right after the shooting, the lack of security at the event, and more.
Day 2
Defense Strategy Revealed
Megyn takes a closer look at the defense strategy being revealed throughout the preliminary hearing, the way the defense is attacking the lack of security the day of the assassination, and more.
New Videos Allegedly Show Robinson Before Shooting
Megyn is joined by Dave Aronberg and Phil Holloway, hosts of The MK True Crime Show, to discuss the newly released videos allegedly showing Robinson before and after the assassination, why prosecutors chose to present the extensive surveillance footage, and more.
Why Conspiracy Theories About Assassination Are Missing the Facts
Positively Legal hosts Mark Eiglarsh and Jonna Spilbor and In The Well co-host Mark Geragos join Megyn to examine why conspiracy theories surrounding Charlie’s murder are missing key facts, the evidence tying Robinson to the crime, the strange portions of the case, and more.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Channel (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.