Preliminary hearing begins in Utah assassination case

A former campus police officer testified Monday that he found an apparent sniper position on a rooftop near where Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking to a crowd at a Utah university event last year. The officer described markings consistent with someone lying prone with a clear line of sight to the location where Kirk was speaking.

Prosecutors are using the testimony to argue there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial on aggravated murder charges.

Courtroom proceedings Videos of the shooting were shown during the hearing, though the judge directed that the footage not be released publicly due to its graphic content. A state investigations agent described the sequence captured on the recordings, including the moment Kirk was shot and security personnel administering first aid.

The defendant sat in court wearing a gray suit with wrists shackled to a waist chain. Defense counsel objected to several pieces of evidence introduced by prosecutors, but the objections were overruled.

Background and next steps The defendant turned himself in the day after the shooting and faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors plan to present DNA evidence, autopsy findings, witness statements, and an alleged note left for the defendant's roommate during the remainder of the hearing.

A state district judge will decide whether the evidence meets the standard to advance the case to trial. The roommate's recorded statements are expected to be introduced, though the roommate is not scheduled to testify in person.