By Andrew Hay
July 9 (Reuters) - A partially redacted video interview with the roommate of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk, is expected to be played in a Utah court on Thursday as part of a preliminary hearing into the September 2025 assassination of Kirk.
Robinson's attorneys on Wednesday failed to prevent prosecutors from playing audio of Lance Twiggs' interview, in which they say he discusses how Robinson allegedly told him he killed Kirk.
Prosecutors are trying to convince Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf they have sufficient evidence against Robinson to warrant a trial in a week-long hearing that stands as the first public test of prosecution evidence concerning Kirk's assassination, one of a series of attacks that have intensified concern over U.S. political violence.
Kirk, 31, was killed in front of thousands as the prominent ally of President Donald Trump debated with students at Utah Valley University.
Erika Kirk, Kirk's widow, has been present throughout the preliminary hearing. Her attorney on Thursday called for the Twiggs interview to be played in full and for all other evidence presented at the hearing to be displayed to the courtroom.
"The Kirk family has waited 10 months for this hearing, and they have a right to be here, and they have a right to hear the evidence," lawyer Jeffrey Neiman told the court.
But Graf stood by his decision to bar parts of the interview from being played in court after Robinson's lawyer said prosecutors would portray the clips as "confessions" and jeopardize the defendant's right to a fair trial.
Twiggs agreed to record the April 20 video with prosecutors and police in lieu of testifying at the preliminary hearing, and was granted immunity for his comments, prosecutor Lauren Hunt said on Wednesday.
SUSPECT HAS NOT ENTERED A PLEA
Robinson, who was studying to be an electrician at the time of the shooting, has yet to enter a plea. In court this week, his lawyers have suggested police failed to investigate possible evidence that someone else was involved in the killing.
Graf ruled that prosecutors could present evidence of text messages between Robinson and Twiggs, a Discord group chat and a photograph of a handwritten note. Some of that material has already been made public via court filings. Robinson's defense team said televising it could bias potential jurors.
In alleged text messages after the shooting, prosecutors say Twiggs asked Robinson if he shot Kirk and Robinson said he did.
Asked why he shot Kirk, he replied: "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out," according to the texts.
Prosecutors contend the messages indicate Robinson targeted Kirk because of his conservative political views. The defense disputes the prosecution's characterization and has sought to limit the use of evidence he had a political motive, which could be used in arguments for the death penalty.
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Jesse Mesner-Hage and David Gaffen)
