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Dr. Frank Turek defended the death penalty, saying it is supported by Christian faith.
The Christian author and speaker told Fox News Digital about why he supports the death penalty when there is “no doubt” that the man charged with Charlie Kirk’s assassination is indeed guilty.
“Obviously, we have to do this advisedly. We have to make sure beyond any reasonable doubt that the person is indeed guilty,” Turek said.
Turek pointed to Bible passages he believes support the death penalty.
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Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
“In Romans 13, it says that the leader does not bear the sword for nothing, meaning the governor or the king doesn’t bear the sword for anything,” said Turek. “That’s a reference to capital punishment. Also, when Jesus was before Pilate, Pilate said to Jesus, ‘Don’t you know I have the authority to kill you?’ And Jesus said, ‘Yes, you do, but you get that authority from above.’”
Turek explained, “In other words, the government has the right to inflict capital punishment for capital crimes.”
He said one cannot “turn the other cheek” in cases of severe crimes such as murder, adding that this command has been misunderstood.
“People will say, ‘What about turn the other cheek?’ This is where people don’t seem to understand. There are different commands for individuals and different commands. If governments were to always turn the other cheek, we would have anarchy, nobody would be secure, people would be murdered, people would be raped, people would have their livelihoods stolen from them.”
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Turek said, “The Creator grants rights and the government is supposed to secure these rights from a biblical perspective.”
“James Madison famously said, ‘If men were angels, no government would be necessary.’ Would we need a government if everybody was angelic? No, there’d be no need for a government. The reason we have a government is to protect the innocent people from evil, to protect rights, to secure rights,” Turek said. “When a government doesn’t do that, it’s an illegitimate government.”
Turek said the original founding of America shows that rights come from God, not government.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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Dr. Frank Turek speaks during a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Sept. 21, 2025. (Daniel Cole/Reuters)
“Governments don’t give you your rights,” Turek said. “Governments are just supposed to secure your rights.”
Robinson faces a top charge of aggravated murder, which carries a potential death sentence.
Dr. Turek and comedian Rob Schneider are scheduled to speak at the upcoming Turning Point USA “This Is The Turning Point” tour stop at UC Berkeley.
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Fox News’ Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
