Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo, Utah, U.S., December 11, 2025. Rick Egan/Pool via Reuters
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – Utah Sen. Mike Lee sparked backlash Wednesday after allegedly calling for the public execution of the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Execute Tyler Robinson. In public,” Lee reportedly posted on X, responding to new court filings from Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who is demanding a speedy trial and accusing the defense of delaying tactics.
It was the second time Lee has called for capital punishment for Tyler Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the fatal shooting of Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University last September.
Prosecutors have already said they will seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. He has not yet entered a plea.
While Lee demanded a public execution, Utah law does not allow executions to be carried out publicly. The state primarily uses lethal injection, with a firing squad permitted only if execution drugs are unavailable.
Lee’s blunt remarks underscore the lingering outrage surrounding Kirk’s killing, and have reignited debate over the death penalty, due process, and how far elected officials should go before a verdict is reached.
