PROVO, Utah — A pre-trial hearing in the Charlie Kirk murder case that was supposed to determine a timeline for the trial of Tyler Robinson stretched for more than three hours Friday before it was adjourned without a decision.
Judge Tony Graf, Jr. said he anticipated making a ruling by the end of the day on what the timeline would look like as the parties look ahead to a trial. But lengthy discussions unraveled about the time it would take to prepare for trial, leading Graf to say he needed more time to issue that ruling.
The defense called it ‘premature’ to even set a trial date at this point, adding that they don’t want it to take place until the latter half of 2029.
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Robinson’s lawyers laid out the process they say is needed to dedicate time to ongoing discovery research, their mitigation investigation, research into the venue for the trial and jury questionnaires. They also discussed schedule conflicts with other legal matters they need to take part in.
But the state and lawyers representing the Kirk family want the trial to begin sooner.
Prosecutors from the Utah County Attorney’s Office said they could be prepared to go to trial as soon as October of 2027. But they suggested a January 31, 2028 starting date, noting that the winter holiday period is a particularly challenging time to conduct a trial, which is expected to last several months.
Attorney Jeffrey Neiman was in the room Friday to represent Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, and adamantly pushed for a speedy trial, pointing to that October 2027 time frame.
“The state said they can be ready by October 4th, 2027,” said Neiman. “A well-resourced defense team — funded by the state of Utah — can too.”
Neiman continued to say each passing day adds to the sadness, grief, and uncertainty that the Kirk family feels about the case.
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President Donald Trump also weighed in on the matter through a Truth Social post as the hearing was ongoing.
He said in part: “The judge in the Charlie Kirk case is doing a terrible job! This case should be tried within a month, not three years - and it should be over with!”
Judge Graf has asked both parties to return on November 9 at 1 p.m. so he can take time to review the various considerations presented by both sides and issue a thorough ruling. But a trial date won’t necessarily be set on that day, either.
Neiman concluded the hearing by asking if the judge could issue his ruling before everyone reconvenes next month, in keeping with the Kirk family’s wish for a speedy trial. It’s unclear if the judge will honor that request.