The 23-year-old accused assassin of Charlie Kirk appeared at his trial for the first time since Kirk’s cold-blooded murder, and was seen laughing with his attorney at one point.
Erika Kirk, seated just feet away, arrived dressed in black and was weeping before the hearing even began.
It was not the first time Robinson has been seen grinning in court. He smiled toward the gallery at his very first public appearance in December. On Monday, he smiled at his parents as he entered the courtroom, then was seen chuckling during a conversation with lead defense attorney Kathy Nester.
The Kirk family released a statement before the hearing began.
“Charlie was a beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and father,” the statement read. “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.”
Erika and Charlie’s parents left the courtroom twice — once when the graphic details of the fatal shot were described, and again before footage of the assassination was played on screen. Judge Tony Graf, watching the footage privately, flinched and leaned away from the screen when the shot rang out.
Robinson, seated at the defense table, had no reaction at all.
The first witness of the day was Officer Christopher Bagley, who was working at Utah Valley University on the day Kirk was shot and testified about what he found on a nearby rooftop after the killing.
“It looks like a sniper pad,” Bagley told the court about the killers location on the Losee Center rooftop.
Prosecutors have said their case includes DNA consistent with Robinson’s found on the rifle’s trigger, fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges, and a towel used to wrap up the murder weapon. Surveillance footage tracked Robinson visiting the UVU campus four times on the day of the killing — once before the shooting, once at the time of the shooting, and again late that night.
Most damning of all may be the note Robinson allegedly left for his former transexual lover, Lance Twiggs, who is cooperating with prosecutors.
“I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it,” Robinson allegedly wrote.
The preliminary hearing, which will determine whether there is probable cause to proceed to trial, is scheduled to run through Friday. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.