U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said that verbal attacks “can spill over into something more sinister” as she spoke about last week’s fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Barrett spoke about her new book, Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution, during an interview with Hugh Hewitt posted Monday. Hewitt asked Barrett about a passage in her book that discusses sparring with intellectual opponents.
“I think the other message in that passage is that when you do engage the other side, we’re engaging ideas, and we’re not trying to attack or tear down people,” Barrett said. “And there’s a huge difference between the two. And I think those who fall into attacking people primarily do it verbally and not physically. But too often, I guess we’re now seeing that verbal attacks can spill over into something more sinister.”
She said she hopes Kirk’s killing will be a “turning point” for society.
Why It Matters
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. He was 31.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested in connection with the killing. He is facing seven charges, including aggravated murder. The prosecution announced that it will be seeking the death penalty.
What To Know
Barrett discussed the danger of failing to engage with those who disagree.
“That’s the opposite of what Charlie Kirk did. He consistently engaged the other side,” Barrett said.
She said she was at the University of Notre Dame after Kirk’s killing and described the mood on campus as “very somber.”
“For the father of two young children and a husband to be murdered in cold blood was a tragedy and certainly sobering for the nation,” Barrett said. “And I think it is a sign of a culture…where political discourse is soured beyond control and something that we need to really pull back.”
What People Are Saying
Amy Coney Barrett, in an interview with Hugh Hewitt: “I really hope that the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a turning point for us as a society where we look and see where things have come, the point at which we’ve come to in the United States.”
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray, at a news conference on Tuesday: “Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one of our most sacred and cherished American rights, the bedrock of our democratic republic, the free exchange of ideas and a search for truth, understanding and a more perfect union.”
What Happens Next
Robinson has not yet entered a plea and he is being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 29.