Defense lawyers say ballistic evidence may not link the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk to the rifle tied to suspect Tyler Robinson, seeking more time to review forensic material.
Attorneys for Tyler Robinson have claimed that the bullet used to kill conservative commentator Charlie Kirk may not match the rifle allegedly linked to the suspect. Robinson, 22, faces capital murder charges over the September 10 shooting at Utah Valley University. The new claim emerged in a court filing seeking to delay the preliminary hearing.
According to the motion, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives “was unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr Robinson.” The defense said the firearm analyst’s testimony could serve as exculpatory evidence. Lawyers also noted that forensic reviews are ongoing as investigators examine complex DNA mixtures discovered on several pieces of evidence.
Defense attorneys said they have received about 20,000 electronic files, including audio recordings, videos and documents presented by prosecutors. They added that reviewing the material and analyzing forensic reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF would take significant time, arguing the case requires expert evaluation before proceeding. Robinson is scheduled to return to court on April 17.