Prosecutors in Charlie Kirk ‘s killing pointed Tuesday to an engraved bullet, arguing that the inscription “Hey Facist! CATCH!” demonstrates that Kirk was targeted for how the defendant perceived his politics.

Whether defendant Tyler Robinson acted out of political animus could be key for prosecutors seeking the death penalty — or for his attorneys in taking that punishment off the table.

The prosecution and defense have filed dueling documents focused on whether the crime included aggravating factors that would make Robinson eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Those include political targeting and whether the shooting endangered thousands of others who attended Kirk’s Sept. 10 event at Utah Valley University.

Robinson is charged with crimes including aggravated murder and has not yet entered a plea. The 23-year-old defendant turned himself in a day after the shooting.

The latest batch of court documents follows a five-day preliminary hearing in July, when prosecutors presented what they said was “overwhelming” evidence against Robinson, while defense attorneys worked to sow doubt about analysts’ findings.

Judge Tony Graf said he will decide if the case should advance to trial after he hears again from both sides on Sept. 1.

In a document filed late Tuesday, prosecutors argued the engraved bullet found in the suspected murder weapon was an “overt political reference.” They also noted that Robinson allegedly wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Robinson’s attorneys have argued that the text message is not strong enough evidence to prove a political motivation. They did not immediately respond to a request for comment on prosecutors’ new filing.

  • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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    22 hours ago

    Basically people who think the billionaires control both parties will subscribe to the idea that they decided Kirk was no longer useful. Generally, democrats wouldn’t assume Kirk was killed for any reason other than that he was Charlie Kirk.

    • dan1101@lemmy.world
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      22 hours ago

      I think there is plenty of evidence that billionaires DO control both parties. The fact we only have 2 viable parties is a problem too.

      • SlavaUkraini@feddit.nl
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        17 hours ago

        Democracy is about having a choice, not about being picky. If you’re from a place that’s had to fight for it and work between both of those parties you would know.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        22 hours ago

        Imo we have 1 viable party and 1 centuries-old antidemocratic force. DNC platform looks fucking lit: tax the rich, money out of politics, single payer medical.

        • Mulligrubs@lemmy.world
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          21 hours ago

          DNC wants money out of politics and single payer medical? Since when?

          I dunno man, Hakeem just said no to single payer the other day. Schumer has been in office for fifty years, he hasn’t done a fucking thing but lip service.

          I think you’re confusing the DNC with Democrat voters.

          • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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            21 hours ago

            In 1997 they introduced bills to limit campaign contributions, in 2003 they passed it, in 2007 to 2010 it went to courts and the Republican majority SCOTUS declared it unconstitutional. This is referred to as Citizens United.

            Single Payer was the original 2010 healthcare reform passed by the DNC in the house and would have had the 60 votes to bypass filibuster if not for Independent Joe Leiberman, and after about a month in session they lost the needed seats in the senate, but we still got a medicaid expansion which today over 70 Million Americans rely upon.

            Since about 2013-2015 then they have had 48 or less senators.

            Obama and Biden both increased taxes on the Rich via the 2013 tax reforms and increased audits.

            In 2018 to 2020 the DNC attempted to pass an H.R. 1 For the People Act to enact much of the necessary changes, but ended up making concessions to overcome Republican Fillibuster.

            Kamala Harris campaigned on n Unrealized Capital Gains tax for amount over $1 Million.

            They still publish a Party Platform every two years, though. https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2024-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf

        • Noxy@pawb.social
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          22 hours ago

          The current Democrat leadership opposes single payer healthcare and accepts corrupt money

          • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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            21 hours ago

            Majority/Minority Leaders aren’t really “leadership” so much as the ones most likely to get bipartisan bills pushed through so as to avoid impasse.

            Hakeem Jeffries says he wouldn’t introduce or support a Single Payer bill but he spent the last ten years cosponsoring such bills. I doubt he will keep his position even if he wins reelection for his seat in Congress in November.

            But hey, if you don’t believe them, make them put their money where their mouths are. Give them supermajority and they’ll have no choice but to improve our lives or spark a revolt.

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
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      22 hours ago

      Most people with such beliefs are not anarchists. Seems like a weird call out.

      Although it’s pretty clear that billionaires do control both parties, so I’m not sure why you’re acting like that isn’t true. That has little to do with CK’s death though.

      Overall a pretty puzzling comment.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        22 hours ago

        Be careful, if you claim to be an authority among Anarchists they might shoot you for it.

        Jokes aside, anarchists aren’t a monolith and well describes people who don’t subscribe to either US party.

        • bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world
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          21 hours ago

          I dont think you understand what Anarchism is. Anarchism is a form of horizontal organizational socialist “government”, its not the “nonpoliticals” or pop culture lawlessness

          • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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            20 hours ago

            https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anarchism

            1 a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups

            2 the advocacy or practice of anarchistic principles

            https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anarchy

            a state of society without government or law.

            political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control.

            Synonyms:
            turmoil, disruption, lawlessness

            anarchism.

            lack of obedience to an authority; insubordination.

            • bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world
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              20 hours ago

              I glad you can find dictionary sources, but that just kind of reinforces my opinion that you dont actually know what Anarchist theory is. Below you can follow a more in depth write up about it. While I dont have the current time to read it all in full, it will be millions of times better than the dictionary.

              https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/anarchism/

              Anarchism is a political theory that is skeptical of the justification of authority and power. Anarchism is usually grounded in moral claims about the importance of individual liberty, often conceived as freedom from domination. Anarchists also offer a positive theory of human flourishing, based upon an ideal of equality, community, and non-coercive consensus building. Anarchism has inspired practical efforts at establishing utopian communities, radical and revolutionary political agendas, and various forms of direct action.

    • Mulligrubs@lemmy.world
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      21 hours ago

      Basically people who think the billionaires control both parties

      So, everybody, right?

      Does anyone think that billionaires don’t control both parties? Jesus, that scares the shit out of me.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        21 hours ago

        Yeah I actually think you’re a dumbass being spoonfed propaganda if you think the DNC isn’t going to tax the rich if we gave them more than 48 seats for the first time in 13 years.

        • naught101@lemmy.world
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          18 hours ago

          The DNC is not going to tax the rich. Unless they get taken over by the DSA, but that still seems like a long shot

          • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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            17 hours ago

            Rhe DNC already increased taxes on the rich under Obama with the 2013 tax plan, Biden increased audits against them, it was in Kamala Harris’ campaign as an unrealized gains tax starting at $1M, and it’s part of the DNC official policy platform to increase their taxes in a variety of ways: https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2024-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf

            So you can let the GOP and foreign powers push this bullshit bothsides narrative, or you can call their fucking bet and put them in a position where they actually have to follow through.

              • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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                17 hours ago

                So we’ve established that the RNC has been the anti-tax party since right before Reagan and that the DNC have been responsible for any tax raises in that period. Glad I could help you see the light.

                • naught101@lemmy.world
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                  16 hours ago

                  I have never had any doubt that the republicans are worse. That’s not news.

                  But I also don’t think the existing DNC and their policies are a solution. Multiple things need to change: the republicans need to be ousted, and the democrats need to be more progressive/socialist/whatever you want to call it. Defending the DNC doesn’t help with either of those things. The DNC are unappealing to a large majority of voters (including a lot of progressives, which is a large part of why Harris didn’t win).

                  Ideally the US also implements a more progressive voting system, but that’s not really on the cards until the other two conditions are met.

                  • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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                    16 hours ago

                    So you yourself cited the DNC being the solution and refuse to believe it? I think we’re done here.