SALT LAKE CITY — Friday will mark one year since police arrested Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative political figure Charlie Kirk.
It could be years more before Robinson goes to trial.
“Finding an impartial jury in Utah County is going to be extremely difficult because of all the notoriety,” said Rudy Bautista, a Utah attorney who says he has represented 26 defendants charged with aggravated murder.
Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder and six other counts. Not only did he murder Kirk, prosecutors have contended, but Robinson placed other lives in danger that day by firing a rifle in an area with 3,000 other people.
Bautista has no ties to the Robinson case, but in an interview with FOX 13 News, he argued the same thing Robinson’s attorneys have – that no one else was in close enough proximity to Kirk when the rifle was fired.
Bautista believes Robinson should be charged with a lesser murder count – on that Utah law would not allow for the death penalty and give Robinson a chance at parole one day.
“They're speculating on the evidence,” Bautista said of prosecutors, “trying to make this case fit an aggravated murder because the president of the United States and the governor of our state said it was an aggravated murder before anyone even investigated it.”
As it is, Bautista predicts it will be three more years – September of 2029 – before a trial begins. There will be appeals even before a trial, Bautista believes, and lots of litigation over the testimony and evidence a jury will hear at a trial that could last five to 10 weeks.
Here’s what’s happened in the Robinson prosecution thus far:
— Sept. 11, 2025: President Trump and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox make statements saying the still-unidentified suspect should and will face the death penalty. Hours later, Robinson, then age 22, surrenders to the Washington County sheriff.
— Sept. 16, 2025: The Utah County Attorney’s Office formally charges Robinson with aggravated murder and six other counts, and makes official its intent to seek the death penalty. Robinson also made his first court appearance that day via a camera feed from the county jail.
— Oct. 24, 2025: Litigation is in full swing, including a closed-door hearing with attorneys and the judge. Robinson’s team wanted to ban news cameras from Robinson’s hearings – the first of many such efforts to limit images of him in what defense lawyers say is an effort to protect his fair trial rights.
— Dec. 11, 2025: Robinson appears in person in court for the first time as the defense and prosecution continue talking about evidence and news coverage from the courtroom.
— Feb. 3, 2026: The prosecutors themselves were the subject of a hearing. The defense wants the entire county attorney’s office removed from the case because so many lawyers who work there had family or friends at Utah Valley University the day Kirk was shot. The judge eventually denied the motion. Utah County is still prosecuting Robinson.
— April 17, 2026: Another attempt by the defense to limit news coverage of Robinson’s court appearances has limited success. Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf has let cameras stay, but no one was allowed to film or photograph Robinson during….
— July 6, 2026: Robinson’s preliminary hearing begins. Often called a mini-trial, the prosecution calls witnesses and shows exhibits to demonstrate it had enough evidence for its case against Robinson to move to trial.
— Sept. 1, 2026: Judge Graf calls everyone back to court. He rules that all the charges against Robinson stand, including the aggravated murder count that makes him eligible for the death penalty. Robinson’s lawyer enters a not guilty plea on his behalf.
— Oct. 23, 2026: This is the next court date for Robinson. The judge has instructed attorneys to be ready then to propose trial dates.
