Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is scheduled to go on trial June 21, 2028, a Utah judge announced Monday.
Attorneys representing Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, asked the court last month to schedule the trial no later than Oct. 4, 2027. Robinson’s attorneys sought a trial date in the third quarter of 2029, citing the enormous volume of discovery. Prosecutors proposed beginning the trial in January 2028 to avoid holding proceedings during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Judge Tony Graf chose a date that falls between the proposals from the three parties.
Kirk’s family described the decision as “deeply disappointing.”
“While nothing will restore the time we have lost with Charlie, every additional day without justice prolongs our family’s pain and forces us to wait even longer for accountability,” the family said in a statement.
The court has reserved 105 days for the trial and ordered monthly pretrial status conferences to “protect the constitutional rights at stake.”
A hearing is scheduled for April 11, 2028, when the court will determine whether both sides’ attorneys can complete essential preparations before jury selection begins. Jury questionnaires are due May 3, 2028.
In September, Graf ruled for prosecutors, who argued they had sufficient evidence to bring the 23-year-old to trial on a charge of aggravated murder. A conviction could result in the death penalty, life in prison without parole or 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
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Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 4B at the Fourth District courthouse in Provo, Utah.
Robinson has pleaded not guilty to the aggravated murder charge. He is accused of shooting Charlie Kirk, 31, while the activist addressed several thousand people at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. Court proceedings have already continued for more than a year.
Robinson surrendered to authorities the day after the shooting. His attorneys have not presented an alternative explanation for Charlie Kirk’s death.
Charlie Kirk helped rally young voters behind President Trump during the 2024 election. Mr. Trump addressed the case in a social media post last month, saying Robinson should be tried “within a month.” The Republican also criticized Graf, a former prosecutor appointed as a judge last year, accusing him of “taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to.”
Utah County prosecutors allege that Robinson targeted Charlie Kirk because of his political views. They say a bullet recovered from the rifle used in the killing was engraved with the words “Hey Facist! CATCH!” Prosecutors also say Robinson wrote in a text message about Charlie Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
In court filings this week, Robinson’s attorneys said they must review tens of thousands of files provided by prosecutors. They also plan extensive investigations into Robinson’s life to identify mitigating factors that could affect his sentence if he is convicted, while devoting “substantial time” to matters including jury selection.
Elli Fitzgerald contributed to this report.
