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Prosecutors in the Charlie Kirk murder case in Utah have introduced previously unreleased video evidence. Yesterday was Day 2 of an expected weeklong court hearing. The state has to convince a judge there's enough evidence to bring suspected shooter Tyler Robinson to trial on aggravated murder charges. Sean Higgins with member station KUER was in the courtroom.
SEAN HIGGINS, BYLINE: Robinson was dressed in plain clothes but in ankle shackles and only one hand free. He showed little emotion throughout the day, only occasionally taking notes or whispering with his defense team. He has yet to enter a plea to the charges against him, which include aggravated murder and six other counts. Yesterday, a big focus was on surveillance video taken on and near the Utah Valley University campus where Kirk was shot in September, video recorded the day of and after the shooting.
David Hull, the state's lead investigator in the case, testified that video shows Robinson arriving around 8:30 in the morning, moving around campus and eventually escaping the scene shortly after Kirk was shot at 12:23 in the afternoon.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: What are we seeing now?
DAVID HULL: Mr. Robinson lowering and jumping off of the roof of the Losee building onto the grass area and then moving away towards Campus Drive, and he appears to be carrying some kind of an object in his hand at this time.
HIGGINS: Previously, only still images and short clips of the footage were released to the public. Prosecutors and defense attorneys also sparred over the line between religion and politics. The state is claiming Robinson deliberately targeted Kirk for his political views. Defense attorney Richard Novak objected to an affidavit submitted by the prosecution. In it, a colleague of Kirk describes in detail Kirk's alleged feelings on a wide range of political and religious issues.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RICHARD NOVAK: There's a constitutional concern that this type of evidence being sanctioned by the court is going to suggest to the jury pool that this is a case about religion. This is not a case about religion. The state doesn't even allege this is a case about religion. The state alleges a one enhancement based on Mr. Robinson's perceptions of Mr. Kirk's political expression.
HIGGINS: Utah District Judge Tony Graf provisionally admitted the affidavit pending a final decision at a later date. He did not release it to the public. Today is expected to bring testimony from the lead law enforcement officer on the state's evidence response team. The hearing is scheduled to last through Friday.
For NPR News, I'm Sean Higgins in Salt Lake City.
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