PROVO, Utah — An attorney representing accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson came under sharp criticism Tuesday after telling a Utah court that Kirk had spoken “hatefully” about certain groups, remarks that drew an immediate rebuke from prosecutors, the Kirk family’s attorney and an outside criminal defense lawyer.
“I think what the defense attorney said regarding Charlie Kirk and that he was full of hate, that was so unprofessional,” said David Gelman, a New Jersey-based criminal defense attorney who has been following the case. “That was so out of left field that he honestly — he should be embarrassed of what he said.”
Robinson, 23, is charged with assassinating Kirk, the 31-year-old father of two and Turning Point USA founder, while Kirk addressed a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
During arguments over whether Robinson’s case should proceed to trial, California defense attorney Richard Novak focused in part on the ideological differences between Kirk and Robinson.
“Mr. Kirk spoke hatefully of certain groups of people,” Novak told the court. He also argued that a “significant gap” existed between Kirk’s views and Robinson’s feelings about him.
Kirk’s parents, widow and other relatives were sitting in the courtroom as Novak repeatedly invoked the idea of hate. Members of the family exchanged glances, with some becoming emotional, while Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, leaned forward and spoke to an aide from the county attorney’s office.
Gelman said Novak’s decision to characterize the murder victim in those terms during a preliminary hearing crossed a line.
“You don’t ever and I mean ever say that, No. 1, as a defense attorney or a prosecutor, especially not even at a trial,” Gelman said. “If you want to paint Charlie as a bad person in front of the jury, knock your socks off. Do whatever you think you have to do. But to do that at a preliminary hearing…when you have the victim’s family all there, that was totally uncalled for.”
Chief Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander and attorney Jeffrey Neiman, who represents Kirk’s family, also challenged Novak’s characterization before the judge.
“The state takes great exception with Mr. Novak attributing all of this ‘hate’ to Mr. Kirk during his argument today,” Grunander said in his rebuttal. “None of what was presented during the preliminary hearing [shows] that he is hateful towards this group or hateful towards that group. He had an opinion that he would express on politics and religion. That doesn’t make it hate, but the fact that Mr. Novak even considered as hate makes the case for the state in his client’s own words, he hated what Mr. Kirk stood for.”
Neiman told the judge that Kirk had built his public career around engaging in “hard conversations” about contentious issues and rejected the suggestion that Kirk had been motivated by hatred.
“Charlie was the opposite of hate,” he said. “Firing a bullet into a crowd and assassinating him. That is hate.”
The issue of hatred also surfaced in text messages that prosecutors say Robinson sent after Kirk’s killing. Authorities allege that Robinson himself used “hate” to describe Kirk when discussing his purported motive.
Prosecutors have identified Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner at the time of the killing, as a central witness in the case. They say Robinson confessed to Twiggs and explained why he had targeted Kirk.
“Why did I do it?” Robinson allegedly wrote to Twiggs after the slaying. “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence.”
Robinson’s defense team has been contacted for comment regarding the controversy over Novak’s remarks.
Gelman, meanwhile, strongly rejected the defense attorney’s description of Kirk and argued that Kirk’s public appearances were intended to encourage political discussion.
“Charlie Kirk was not full of hatred,” Gelman said. “If anything, he was full of love…He brought people together. He was there doing a free speech event, all right? He’s trying to bring people on the left on the right together.”
Judge Tony Graf Jr. ruled Tuesday that all of the charges against Robinson will proceed to district court for trial, including an aggravated murder count that makes him eligible for the death penalty.
Robinson is scheduled to return to court Oct. 23 for a pretrial conference, at which Graf could establish a date for the trial.
At Tuesday’s arraignment, defense attorney Kathy Nester entered pleas of not guilty on Robinson’s behalf to all charges.
{Matzav.com}
