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DOJ weighs novel federal hate crime case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer

Federal authorities consider a rare anti-Christian hate crime charge linked to anti-trans motivation in the murder of Charlie Kirk, while state prosecutors seek the death penalty.

  • The Justice Department is weighing federal charges in the killing of Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder, including a novel anti-Christian hate-crime theory, and says it will not hesitate to charge when appropriate.
  • Texts from the accused show Tyler Robinson’s messages to his trans partner indicate a motive tied to gender identity, prompting Civil Rights Division scrutiny.
  • Tyler Robinson, accused shooter, faces multiple state charges including aggravated murder and appeared in court Thursday as Utah prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.
  • Officials said the Justice Department is confident in the death-penalty-eligible state murder case and committed to life imprisonment, involving the Civil Rights Division under Harmeet Dhillon amid recent Utah leadership changes with Melissa Holyoak.
  • Such a legal approach would be highly unusual because prosecuting as anti-Christian requires linking anti-trans motive to religion, and many view the killing as domestic terrorism despite no specific federal domestic terrorism statute.
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NBC News broke the news in United States on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
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