Judge Tony Graf expected to set Robinson trial date in Charlie Kirk case Monday

Prosecutors say a 17-week trial could be ready by October 2027

Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf is expected Monday to set a trial date for defendant Tyler Robinson in the case arising from Charlie Kirk’s killing. Robinson’s defense attorneys proposed a trial starting in 2029. Prosecutors said they anticipate a 17-week trial and would be ready by October 2027; in court filings, they proposed a January 2028 start so the proceedings would not run through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Attorney Jeffrey Neiman, who represents Kirk’s wife, Erika, said the trial should start next October.

The Associated Press described Kirk as a conservative activist. Kirk, 31, was shot Sept. 10, 2025 while speaking to several thousand people at Utah Valley University. Robinson, 23, turned himself in a day after the shooting and has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder.

Neiman said dragging out the case for years would violate Erika Kirk’s speedy-trial rights under Utah law as a victim. Graf faces pressure from Kirk’s family and supporters to speed court proceedings that have already lasted more than a year.

The AP reported that Kirk helped galvanize young voters around Trump during the 2024 election. President Donald Trump, identified by the AP as a Republican, weighed in on the trial in a social media post last month, saying Robinson should be tried “within a month.” He criticized Graf — a former prosecutor appointed as a judge last year — for “taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to.”

Utah County prosecutors allege Robinson targeted Kirk for his political beliefs. They say a bullet found in the rifle used to kill Kirk was engraved with the words “Hey Facist! CATCH!” They also say Robinson wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Robinson’s attorneys said in court filings this week that they must sift through tens of thousands of files turned over by prosecutors. His lawyers have not offered alternative theories for Kirk’s death.

The defense plans extensive investigations into Robinson’s life in search of mitigating factors and expects to devote “substantial time” to issues such as jury selection.

Robinson could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted; his lawyers said their search for mitigating factors could influence his sentence.