Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf scheduled jury selection to begin on June 21, 2028, for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The trial date resolves months of scheduling disputes between prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the victim’s family. Graf announced the timeline during a court hearing, allotting 105 days for the proceedings in Provo, Utah, as reported by The Guardian.
Family Members Request Earlier Trial Start Date
Prosecutors had recommended a January 31, 2028, start for a 17-week trial, while defense attorneys requested a timeline stretching into late 2029. Erika Kirk, the activist’s widow, had pushed for an October 2027 start date to expedite the case.
In a statement provided to Newsweek, Kirk’s family expressed frustration with the judicial timeline:
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. As we continue down this difficult road, we remain deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and support that have sustained our family through these painful months.
Kirk’s family, Family statement
Jeffrey Neiman, an attorney representing Erika Kirk, told 41NBC News that a trial arriving three years after the assassination does not feel very speedy to the Kirk family.
Court filings noted that the defense team’s proposed schedule would mean Kirk’s young children would be six and eight years old by the time the proceedings conclude.
Robinson Pleads Not Guilty to Murder Charges
Robinson, 23, remains held without bail and has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and related charges, according to Newsweek. Prosecutors charged him with seven counts connected to the September 10, 2025, shooting at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was speaking to a crowd of roughly 3,000 people.
Investigators testified during a July preliminary hearing that Kirk was struck in the neck by a single shot fired from a building roughly 140 yards away. Authorities found a rifle wrapped in a towel in the woods near the shooting scene, as well as a shell casing and three unfired bullets that had been engraved, according to Newsweek.
State prosecutors intend to present evidence that Robinson harbored grievances regarding Kirk’s political views. During the July hearings, the court reviewed a redacted video showing Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner, telling investigators that Robinson expressed regret over the attack, as reported by The Guardian.
He wishes he hadn’t done it.
Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate
Political Attention and Defense Arguments Shape Trial Timeline
The case has drawn national political attention. President Donald Trump criticized Judge Graf on social media in October, writing on Truth Social that the case should be tried within a month, not three years – and it should be over with!
as cited by The Guardian.
Robinson’s defense team argued that a 2029 start date was necessary to process evidence and conduct venue surveys. According to 41NBC News, the defense plans to investigate mitigating factors for sentencing and may request a change of venue depending on jury pool surveys.
Judge Graf stated that the June 21, 2028, date balances the constitutional rights of the defendant with the rights of Kirk’s widow.
Judge Tony Graf is a former prosecutor who was appointed to the bench last year. Utah District Court records indicate that Tyler James Robinson is also facing two counts of witness tampering and two counts of obstruction of justice alongside the capital murder charge.
Court filings from Robinson’s defense team noted that the initial year of legal defense costs reached approximately $1.6 million for Utah taxpayers. Erika Kirk, 37, argued in court records that a delayed schedule creates an undue financial and emotional burden.
In his Truth Social post on October 23, President Donald Trump wrote that the judge was desecrating the memory of the Great Charlie Kirk, while taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to.
Trump previously spoke at Kirk’s memorial service following the activist’s death in September 2025.
During the weeklong preliminary hearing in July, defense attorneys Kathryn Nester and other counsel scrutinized forensic evidence including DNA found on the towel wrapped around the firearm. Prosecutors maintain that Robinson turned himself in to law enforcement after a family member contacted a family friend who reported the confession.