July 5, 2026 / 1:41 PM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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Charlie Kirk's widow and parents are expected this week in a Utah court where prosecutors seeking the death penalty will argue that the man charged with killing the conservative activist should stand trial for murder.The five-day preliminary hearing that starts Monday will be the first time members of Kirk's family are in the Utah courtroom with defendant Tyler Robinson. The hearing will be livestreamed.Witnesses said Kirk had just begun to debate someone about gun violence during an event audience at Utah Valley University when he was shot.Robinson turned himself in after the shooting. Prosecutors allege that he also sent a text message confession to his partner and left a note saying he had an opportunity to kill one of the nation's leading conservative voices "and I'm going to take it."He has not entered a plea in the case, however.Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk, who was addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University. His attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence.The alleged shooter was a third-year student at Utah's Dixie Technical College in the electrical apprenticeship program, the state Board of Higher Education said in a statement. He also attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021, CBS News previously reported. He is the oldest of three brothers. His father owns a business installing kitchen countertops and cabinets and his mother is a licensed social worker, according to public records and their social media accounts.
