By Ed White

Copyright independent

Political violence has rocked the United States in the past few months, with cases from New York to Utah.

The confluence this week of developments in five cases tied to political violence — just a day before Constitution Day — underscores the prevalence of the trend in the country.

On Tuesday, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a speaking event at Utah Valley University.

Robinson, 22, had become more “political” before he shot Kirk in the neck from the roof of a university building, authorities said.

Meanwhile, a judge threw out state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, and voters in Minnesota picked a successor to a politician who was assassinated at her home.

Here is a look at the different cases.

Authorities in Utah County, south of Salt Lake City, filed seven charges against Robinson, including aggravated murder, ahead of an afternoon court appearance, the first formal step since his arrest last week.

In the charging document, investigators revealed an incriminating text message exchange between Robinson and his roommate. They also said he left a note under his computer keyboard that read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Kirk, 31, was credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said over the weekend that people close to Robinson say his politics shifted left in recent years and he spent a lot of time in the “dark corners of the internet.”

A judge on Tuesday threw out terrorism charges against Mangione in the sidewalk killing of Thompson, but a murder charge still stands.

Judge Gregory Carro said New York law doesn’t consider something terrorism simply because it was motivated by ideology.

It was Mangione’s first appearance in state court since February. The 27-year-old Ivy League graduate is accused of gunning down Thompson as the executive arrived for an investor conference last December. Police said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty. He is facing separate charges in federal court.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose official residence was set on fire in April, said public leaders have a “clear and unequivocal” responsibility to call out political violence.

Shapiro, a Democrat, said Trump and others “want to cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn.”

Shapiro spoke Tuesday at the Eradicate Hate summit in Pittsburgh. He said too many people don’t believe the government and the nation’s institutions can solve problems, and instead turn to the internet, where they are manipulated to foment hate.

“It leads to a belief among some that the only way they can address their problems is through violence,” said Shapiro, who is often mentioned as a possible 2028 presidential candidate.

Control of the Minnesota House was at stake Tuesday in an election to fill the seat of Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, who in June was assassinated with her husband at their home.

Xp Lee, a Democrat, won, reinstating a 67-67 tie and preserving a power-sharing deal between Democrats and Republicans. Lee faced Republican Ruth Bittner in a district that typically favors Democrats.

The tie in the House after the 2024 election meant some level of bipartisan agreement was required to pass anything this year.

Vance Boelter, 57, faces federal and state charges in the June 14 attacks against Hortman, husband Mark Hortman and two other people.

Federal prosecutors said they could rest their case this week in the trial of Ryan Routh, who is accused of trying to assassinate Trump in Florida a year ago.

An FBI analyst testified Monday that Routh’s fingerprint was found on the scope of a rifle found near where Trump was playing golf.

The government says Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery at his West Palm Beach club. He did not fire a shot. Routh has pleaded not guilty and is representing himself at trial.