Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is scheduled to stand trial in the summer of 2028, Utah District Judge Tony Graf said on Monday. July selection is slated to begin on June 21, 2028.
Graf’s timeline is closer to the prosecution’s proposal, which called for a 17-week trial beginning in late January 2028. Robinson’s defense, by contrast, requested a six- to seven-month trial beginning in late 2029, while Kirk’s family pushed for a start date in 2027.
In his court order, Graf acknowledged the three requests, saying mid-2028 would “ensure that the constitutional rights of Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Kirk are upheld at every junction, each party is treated with the dignity and respect they are due, as they are human beings, and that the Sixth Amendment right is protected.”
Graf set aside 105 days, or 15 weeks, for the trial.
Robinson, 23, is accused of aggravated murder, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and four other charges. Prosecutors submitted evidence against Robinson during a week-long hearing in June, accusing him of shooting Kirk on Utah Valley University campus on September 10, 2025. Utah intends to pursue the death penalty in the case.
In September, Robinson’s attorney pleaded not guilty on his behalf on all counts.
Kirk’s family described the proposed trial date as “deeply disappointing” in a statement to National Review. “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.”
Graf asked both parties to attend monthly pretrial conferences to ensure the process stays on track in the lead up to jury selection. At a hearing in mid-April, he will ask attorneys whether they expect to be ready for trial as scheduled. The prosecution and Robinson’s defense have tens of thousands of files of evidence to review, including 3.3 terabytes of data and eight million digital artifacts.