Charlie Kirk assassination: Utah judge sets Tyler Robinson's trial for June 2028

A Utah judge on Monday scheduled June 2028 for the trial of Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old man accused of murdering prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk last year. Robinson has pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including aggravated murder, over the shooting of Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem. Kirk was attending one of his trademark debates at the university when the shooting took place.

Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf set June 21, 2028, as the date for jury selection. The decision came after Robinson’s attorneys requested a trial date in late 2029, arguing that they needed more time to challenge Utah’s request for the death penalty, collect additional evidence and seek a change of venue. His lawyers anticipate that the trial could last six to seven months. Prosecutors had requested January 31, 2028, as the trial's starting date, estimating that proceedings would take approximately 17 weeks.

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In a separate court filing, Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, asked for the trial to begin in 2027 to accelerate what she described as a painful legal process. Last month, Donald Trump criticised Judge Graf's handling of the case, arguing that the trial should begin within a month. He also accused the judge of raising questions that people already know the answer to.

Kirk was a controversial figure in US politics. Conservatives admired him for his efforts to mobilize young voters around his Christian and right-wing beliefs. However, civil rights advocates criticized his statements, describing them as racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic and misogynist. They pointed to his public remarks about Black Americans, LGBTQ communities, Muslims and immigrants.

Prosecutors allege that Tyler Robinson targeted Charlie Kirk because of his opposition to gay marriage and transgender rights. During court proceedings, defense attorney Richard Novak said Kirk spoke ‘hatefully’ about people who did not have traditional gender identities or were not heterosexual. However, Robinson's defense team maintains that there is no evidence that he opposed those views.