Defense in Charlie Kirk Killing Says It Needs Years to Prepare for Trial
The man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk may not stand trial until 2029, if his defense team gets its way.
Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, 23, say they need several more years to prepare for his capital murder trial. Prosecutors want the case to move much faster, and Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, is now asking the court to set a trial date as soon as possible.
Defense Wants a Trial in Late 2029
In a court filing, Robinson's attorneys estimated that a trial could begin in the third quarter of 2029 and last six to seven months, KSL reported. They called that timeline "a necessarily speculative approximation."
The defense said much of 2027 and 2028 would be spent "filing and litigating various pretrial motions." They also pointed to the amount of evidence they still need to review, including all aggravating and mitigating evidence, and the challenge of finding an impartial jury in such a high-profile case. They may also ask to move the trial to another location and plan to study the issue.
According to the filing, the defense does not expect to send out jury questionnaires until the second quarter of 2029. Several members of the defense team also have other trials scheduled in 2027, the Daily Herald reported.
Prosecutors Say They Could Be Ready Next Year
The Utah County Attorney's Office sees things very differently. Prosecutors expect the trial to last about 17 weeks and say they could be ready to begin as early as Oct. 4, 2027.
To avoid putting jurors through a long trial over Thanksgiving and Christmas, prosecutors instead proposed a later start. "The state therefore proposes that the court schedule the trial to begin January 31, 2028," the memo states.
Erika Kirk Pushes for a Speedy Trial
On Thursday, Erika Kirk filed a victim's motion asking for a speedy trial. The motion calls a trial date in late 2029 "grossly out of line" with similar cases and accuses the defense of using delays as a "strategy," according to the Deseret News.
The motion cites Utah law giving crime victims the right to a "speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant." It argues that the victims' interests include "a judicial process that is fair, transparent, and without needless delay."
The filing notes that past Utah murder cases have been tried within one to two years. It warns that a four-year timeline would cost taxpayers millions and "provide fodder for conspiracy theorists." The family is asking for a trial as early as possible in 2027, along with monthly progress reports on the case.
Where the Case Stands
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in Orem. Robinson surrendered to authorities the next day.
Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. On Sept. 1, after a preliminary hearing that began in July, 4th District Judge Tony Graf ruled there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial on all counts. Robinson has pleaded not guilty.
The case has already seen its share of legal drama. In June, Graf held a prosecutor in contempt for violating a gag order after a defense filing revealed that ballistics testing was inconclusive on a bullet fragment.
Graf asked both sides earlier this month to submit proposed timelines and was expected to address the trial date at a scheduling hearing in Provo on Friday. The hearing was not set to be livestreamed, but Erika Kirk was expected to be able to attend remotely.
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