Trial for Charlie Kirk's accused killer set for June 2028 in Utah
A Utah judge has scheduled jury selection for June 21, 2028, in the murder trial of Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Utah judge sets June 2028 start for Kirk murder trial
A Utah judge has set a summer 2028 trial date for Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the fatal shooting of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, cnn.com reports. Judge Tony Graf announced on Monday that jury selection will begin on June 21, 2028, with 105 days set aside to hear the case.
Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University in Orem. Robinson subsequently pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated murder, felony use of a firearm, committing a violent offence in the presence of a child, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors have stated their intention to seek the death penalty.
The trial date represents a compromise between the timelines proposed by each side. Prosecutors had asked for proceedings to begin on January 31, 2028, noting they could be ready as early as October 4, 2027, but preferred to avoid scheduling the trial across the winter holiday season. Prosecutor Chad Grunander cited concerns over losing qualified jurors due to childcare demands or inadvertent misconduct at holiday gatherings.
Robinson's defence team had proposed a significantly later start — the third quarter of 2029 — describing that estimate as "a necessarily speculative approximation." Attorneys argued they required additional time to conduct studies on potential venue issues, review tens of thousands of pieces of evidence, and manage discovery matters, including possible motions to compel or subpoenas. They also noted that all of Robinson's lawyers were simultaneously handling other high-profile cases.
"The reality is, rushing to trial does not equal closure," defence attorney Staci Visser told the court. "It leads to mistakes… it leads to having to do this again."
Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, had pushed back forcefully against the defence's proposed timeline, describing it as "grossly out of line" ahead of an October hearing where both parties presented their arguments. She called for the trial to be set no later than 2027. Her attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, underscored the family's position in court that month: "You know who doesn't get to spend time with their family over the holidays? Charlie."
A motion filed on Erika Kirk's behalf asked the judge to schedule proceedings for "the earliest practicable date in 2027," stressing that the defence's preferred timeline would see the trial begin four years after Kirk's death. "Every additional day of delay carries the weight of all that Charlie's murder has taken from his family, especially his two young children," the filing stated. The motion also referenced several other capital cases in Utah that proceeded to trial within six months to a couple of years, arguing those cases illustrated "how out of touch with reality the Defendant's motion is."
Judge Graf acknowledged both the defendant's rights and the interests of Kirk's family in arriving at his ruling. The June 2028 date falls between what the prosecution and the defence had each requested, and the 105-day allocation reflects the scale and complexity of the case.
Robinson had entered his not guilty plea in September 2025, following a lengthy preliminary hearing held in July of that year.
This is a developing story.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)