Trial set for Charlie Kirk's alleged killer

The trial date came after a prolonged dispute between the sides over scheduling. Utah County prosecutors estimated they would need 17 weeks to present their case and said they could be ready as early as October 2027. To avoid holding the trial during national holidays, they initially proposed a late January 2028 start.

Robinson's defense attorneys, however, requested a delay until 2029, arguing that the volume of evidence required additional preparation time. Kirk's family strongly opposed the proposal. Lawyers representing his widow, Erica Kirk, called the defense's requested timeline "ridiculous" and said there was no justification for such a lengthy delay.

Judge Graf ultimately ruled that jury selection will commence June 21, 2028, and allocated no fewer than 105 trial days for the proceedings. He said the scope of evidence demands extensive preparation: the parties are dealing with tens of thousands of evidence files, including some eight million digital items totaling approximately 3.3 terabytes of data.

Graf added that both jury selection and establishing the legal framework must be conducted with care to ensure a fair trial. He ordered monthly status hearings leading up to the trial to ensure that both Robinson's constitutional rights and those of Kirk's widow are protected.

The judge emphasized that the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the accused the right to a speedy trial, and that given Robinson's current circumstances, unnecessary delays raise serious concerns.

But for the Kirk family, even the court's timeline is far from speedy. After the hearing, attorney Jeffrey Neiman made clear that the family accepts the date set but expects the court to hold to it and not allow further postponements.

"The Kirk family is obviously entitled to have this case resolved expeditiously. A trial in the summer of 2028, three years after Charlie's assassination, doesn't feel particularly speedy to the family," Neiman said. "The family has already waited long enough. They shouldn't have to wait any longer," he added.

Kirk, 31, was shot to death on September 10, 2025, during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem. The shooting, captured on security cameras, shocked the conservative community across the United States and became a symbol of the country's growing political tensions. In preliminary hearings, prosecutors presented forensic evidence including DNA from Robinson found on the murder weapon, as well as handwritten documents indicating advance planning.

During preliminary hearings held last summer, the court was shown video footage documenting the moment of the fatal shooting. According to reports, Judge Graf recoiled while viewing the footage, while Robinson showed no reaction. Kirk's widow Erica, his parents, and other family members attended the hearing but left the courtroom before the graphic footage was shown.