One year after Kirk’s death, top aide says ‘justice,’ not conspiracy theories, is the goal

Andrew Kolvet, the longtime producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” and a Turning Point USA spokesman, said his focus remains squarely on the prosecution of Tyler Robinson, the man charged with assassinating Kirk, even as online speculation about the killing has persisted a year later.

Mr. Kolvet made the remarks in an interview with Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow, conducted on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Mr. Kirk’s death. 

“I see all the speculation online. I’m willing to entertain it,” Mr. Kolvet said in the interview. “I want justice for Charlie more than anything else. So, wherever the facts lead, we’ve got to follow them, and I’m not afraid of the answer.” 

“But when you look at all the facts and where they lead, this is where they lead,” Mr. Kolvet continued, referring to Mr. Robinson’s upcoming trial.

Mr. Kolvet described attending Mr. Robinson’s bind-over hearing in person, saying the courtroom atmosphere left little room for the conspiracy claims that circulated online in the shooting’s aftermath. He said prosecutors, defense attorneys and even outside judges who have reviewed the case have called it one of the most evidence-heavy prosecutions they have encountered.

Utah Judge Tony Graf ruled last week that Mr. Robinson, 23, will stand trial on all seven charges against him, including aggravated murder, and that prosecutors may continue seeking the death penalty. Mr. Robinson pleaded not guilty at arraignment immediately following the ruling. Mr. Kolvet said he was not surprised by the decision.

Addressing conspiracy theorists who have pointed to the not-guilty plea as evidence of doubt in the case, Mr. Kolvet said the plea was a procedural move rather than a substantive claim of innocence. He argued that because Utah prosecutors have declined to offer a plea deal, Mr. Robinson’s only path off death row runs through a trial, where his defense could try to undercut the aggravating factors that keep capital punishment on the table.

Mr. Robinson is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 23, when a trial date is expected to be set.

Mr. Marlow closed the interview by praising Mr. Kolvet and his colleagues for keeping “The Charlie Kirk Show” running in the year since the assassination, framing the program’s survival as a continuation of Mr. Kirk’s voice. Mr. Marlow then drew a parallel to Breitbart News’ own history, noting that some had urged the outlet to shut down after Andrew Breitbart’s 2012 death. Mr. Kolvet said he believed Andrew Breitbart would be proud of what Breitbart News has since accomplished.