Robinson’s Lawyers Seek 2029 Trial Date in Charlie Kirk Murder Case; Widow Calls Timeline “Grossly Out of Line”

Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the September 10, 2025, assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, have asked a Utah court to schedule jury selection for the third quarter of 2029, more than four years after the shooting.

Robinson, now 23, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts, including aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted. Utah County prosecutors have said they could be ready for trial by October 2027 but proposed a January 31, 2028, start date to avoid the holiday season. They estimate the trial would last 17 weeks. Robinson’s defense team estimates proceedings would run six to seven months.

In a scheduling memorandum, defense attorneys wrote that setting a firm trial date now would amount to an exercise in “false precision.” They cited the need to review more than 31,000 files of discovery and millions of digital artifacts, conduct investigations into potential mitigating factors, prepare for capital-case jury selection, consult expert witnesses, and litigate issues including possible challenges to Utah’s death penalty statute and a change of venue. They requested quarterly hearings to reassess the feasibility of a 2029 start.

Erika Kirk, the widow of the slain activist, filed a victim’s motion through attorney Jeffrey Neiman calling the defense proposal “grossly out of line” and “absurd.” The filing states that under the defense timeline, Kirk’s two children—who were one and three years old at the time of the murder—would be five and seven by the time a verdict is reached. Neiman asked the court to set the earliest practicable date in 2027 and to require monthly progress reports. He also noted that Robinson’s defense has already cost taxpayers approximately $1.6 million in its first year.

Fourth District Judge Tony Graf held a scheduling hearing Friday in Provo. After hearing arguments, he said he needed additional time to consider the positions and set a follow-up hearing for November 9. Robinson appeared in court wearing a light gray suit; he did not address the court. Defense attorneys Kathy Nester, Richard Novak, and Staci Visser represented him. Earlier in the case, Judge Graf ruled that prosecutors had established probable cause at a preliminary hearing and kept the death penalty available.

Kirk was shot while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Robinson turned himself in the following day. His lawyers have filed multiple pretrial motions, including efforts to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office, suppress evidence, and challenge the aggravating factor that supports a potential death sentence. The case has drawn sustained public attention as both sides continue to litigate the timeline for trial.