Trial of man charged in Charlie Kirk's killing set to begin in June 2028

The trial of Tyler Robinson, the Utah man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, will begin with jury selection on June 21, 2028, a judge ruled Monday.

Fourth District Judge Tony Graf announced the date at a hearing in Provo, Utah, the Deseret News reported. The trial is expected to last 85 court days, including 20 days to pick a jury. The court reserved 105 days to leave room for legal arguments and for questioning potential jurors one at a time.

Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder and six other counts in the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting of Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, while he spoke to a crowd at Utah Valley University in Orem. Robinson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney’s Office are seeking the death penalty.

How the judge chose the date

Each side proposed a different schedule, according to the Deseret News:

• Prosecutors said they could be ready by October 2027, but proposed starting in January 2028 to avoid the holiday season.
• Robinson’s lawyers asked to start in the third quarter of 2029, saying they need time to gather records, review evidence and consult his family and friends.
• Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, asked the court to start the trial by Oct. 4, 2027.

Graf said the court weighed her request but could “not reasonably schedule” the trial for October 2027, given the work both sides still have to do. He said the ruling was meant to protect the constitutional rights of both Robinson and the Kirk family.

The court will hold monthly status conferences until the trial. At the April 11, 2028, conference, Graf will decide whether both sides are ready and rule on where the trial will be held. The Kirk family’s lawyer must be consulted before any change to the schedule.

The family’s response

Jeffrey Nieman, a lawyer for the Kirk family, told the court that the timeline “does not feel very speedy” to the family, but that it had no choice but to accept the ruling. He asked the court not to delay the trial further.

In a statement after the hearing, the family called the decision “deeply disappointing” and said every additional day “prolongs our family’s pain,” the Deseret News reported.

How the case got here

• Sept. 10, 2025: Kirk is shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.
• Feb. 24, 2026: Graf denies a defense request to remove the Utah County Attorney’s Office from the case, the office said.
• July 6–10, 2026: A preliminary hearing is held, where prosecutors present evidence to show there’s enough reason to send the case to trial.
• Sept. 1, 2026: Graf rules that Robinson will stand trial on all seven counts, including aggravated murder, which keeps the death penalty possible. Robinson pleads not guilty, LiveNOW from FOX reported.
• Nov. 9, 2026: Graf sets the trial date.

Robinson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Sources: Utah County Attorney’s Office, Charlie Kirk case updates. Deseret News, Nov. 9, 2026. LiveNOW from FOX, Sept. 1, 2026.