Former lover’s testimony could shape fate of accused Charlie Kirk assassin

PROVO, Utah — Video testimony from Lance Twiggs, the ex-girlfriend of suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, will be heard in court Thursday morning as a week-long preliminary hearing nears its end.

Prosecutors planned to play the game Wednesday, but after a series of objections from the defense, Judge Tony Graf Jr. He requested redactions and said prosecutors would prefer to wait until the morning to make sure they could comply with the court order before playing the game.

Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, shared many emotional hugs with her mother-in-law, Kathy Kirk, and was also wiping away tears when family attorney Jeff Neiman asked the court to play the unredacted video “for the whole world to see.”

From the gallery, he was seen encouraging the lawyer to approach the bench for the first time since the trial began on Monday.

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Neiman argued that merely playing a redacted version would create “suspicion and distrust in the judicial system.”

“The Kirk family feels strongly that if the evidence is admitted at this preliminary hearing, it should be made public to the world so that no redactions can be made,” he told the judge. he said. “This court has tools at its disposal to ensure that the defendant receives a fair trial. You will use them if you think you need them.”

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Charlie Kirk assassination suspect Tyler Robinson and Lance Twiggs. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via Pool and Lance Twiggs/TikTok)

But Graf agreed to redact about 16 minutes of Twiggs’ nearly 37-minute video statement, as the defense suggested, after Robinson’s attorney, Richard Novak, raised constitutional concerns about airing a televised “confession” before the trial.

The full video is expected to show texts Twiggs discusses, chat recordings and a memo in which the defense says prosecutors and the public will consider Robinson’s “confession.”

Defense attorney Kathryn Nester speaks to Tyler Robinson during the preliminary hearing in 4th District Court for Robinson, the Utah man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Provo. (Salt Lake Tribune via Trent Nelson/Pool)

Novak said the defense did not call these a confession.

Robinson appeared visibly agitated at times during the hearing, especially when talking about Twiggs, her lover at the time of the shooting; He was taking deep breaths, shifting around, and straightening his jacket.

Some of the alleged messages between Robinson and Twiggs have already been made public; prosecutors allege the defendant talked about being “stranded in Orem,” where the attack took place, and took responsibility for being “the person who did it.”

The texts are expected to be removed from the video played Thursday, but the judge said he will take them into consideration when making the probable cause decision.

A still image from the video shows Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, attending a preliminary hearing presided over by District Court Judge Tony Graf in the Fourth District Court in Provo, Utah, on July 6, 2026. (Reuters TV/Pool via REUTERS.)

Graf also said the preliminary hearing will end at 5 p.m. Friday, quieting speculation that the five-day hearing would last longer.

At the end of the hearing, Erika and Kathy Kirk tearfully hugged as everyone stood up.

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Robinson has not yet entered a plea. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.