Tyler Robinson to stand trial in 2028 for killing Charlie Kirk, nearly three years after shooting

The trial of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is set to begin in the summer of 2028 after a Utah judge set a trial date for Monday, the Associated Press reported.

District Judge Tony Graf scheduled jury selection for June 21, 2028, and set aside 105 days for the trial. The decision came after Robinson’s lawyers suggested the trial start in 2029, while prosecutors said they could be ready by October 2027.

Robinson, 23, pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in connection with the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting of Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Graf said the schedule tries to balance Robinson’s right to adequate preparation for his defense with the right of Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, to have the case resolved quickly, according to the AP.

Erika Kirk’s lawyer expresses displeasure

However, Erika Kirk’s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, expressed dissatisfaction with the timeline and said the family had no choice but to accept it.

“A trial in the summer of 2028, three years after Charlie’s assassination, doesn’t seem too soon for Kirk’s family,” Neiman told the judge. He had previously advocated for the trial to begin next October.

In a statement after Monday’s hearing, the Kirk family described the judge’s decision as a “delay,” adding that every day without justice prolongs their pain.

The accused surrendered a day after the shooting incident

The defendant surrendered to authorities the day after the shooting. Prosecutors say he targeted Kirk because of his political beliefs. They cited an inscription on a bullet recovered from a rifle allegedly used in the killing, which read: “Hey Fascist! They also pointed to a text message attributed to Robinson in which he allegedly wrote of Kirk: “I’ve had enough of his hate. Some hate is non-negotiable.”

Robinson’s lawyers said they needed to review the tens of thousands of files provided by prosecutors. They also intend to conduct an extensive investigation into his personal history to identify mitigating factors that could affect his sentence if convicted, the AP reported.

The defense team also said it plans to conduct surveys to assess whether an impartial jury can be selected in Utah County. Depending on the findings, she could try to move the trial to another location. Graf has scheduled a venue hearing for next December.

What Trump said about the timeline

The plaintiffs proposed starting the trial in January 2028 to avoid scheduling the trial during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Kirk played a significant role in mobilizing young voters to support Donald Trump during the 2024 US presidential election. Trump weighed in on the case last month, calling for Robinson’s trial “within a month” and criticizing Graf for taking too long to move forward, according to the AP.