Judge Sets No Trial Date for Charlie Kirk's Accused Killer After a Three-Hour Hearing; Erika Kirk's Lawyer Pleads for Speed
Judge Tony Graf Jr. heard both sides and the Kirk family's lawyer, then put off the decision. He says he will read his ruling at the next hearing on Nov. 9.
A Utah judge heard hours of argument Friday about when to try the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, and ended the hearing without setting a date.
The hearing. Tyler Robinson, 23, sat uncuffed and unshackled in a light gray suit and did not speak in court, Fox News reports from Provo. Judge Tony Graf Jr. said he had planned to set a date at the end but needed more time after questioning both sides about their schedules and other trials they are committed to. The hearing ran about three hours and was interrupted several times by video-link problems. Robinson did not enter a plea until last month, nearly a year after he was charged.
The Kirk family's plea. Jeffrey Neiman, a lawyer for Erika Kirk, the widow and the court's designated victim's representative, urged the judge to move faster. "Every day of delay adds to uncertainty, invites speculation and that erodes confidence in this system," he said. "Justice delayed this long stops being justice for the Kirk family." He called time "the defense's best ally." Under Utah's constitution, he noted, victims have a right to a speedy resolution. He offered to have the family write to a federal judge to ask that a conflicting trial be moved.
The prosecution. Utah County prosecutors floated Jan. 31, 2028, as their preferred start, but said they could be ready in October 2027. Both sides agreed a trial running through the holidays would be hard on jurors and witnesses.
The defense. Attorney Staci Visser said pretrial work "builds upon itself," pointing to more than 31,000 pieces of discovery and about 8 million digital evidence artifacts. She called the January 2028 date "not practical." The defense earlier asked for a soft target in the third quarter of 2029. Attorney Richard Novak said he has a federal racketeering trial set for Jan. 10, 2028, and argued against rushing: "Rushing to trial does not lead to closure. It does not lead to finality. It leads to mistakes."
What is next. Graf worried that more conflicts could arise if he waits. He set the next hearing for Monday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. Mountain time, when he said he will read his ruling.
Note for readers: Robinson is accused and has not been convicted. The scheduling claims above are the lawyers' arguments as reported by Fox, and the judge has not decided.