Erika Kirk’s attorneys filed a motion for a speedy trial in Utah on Thursday, rejecting the defense’s request for a 2029 trial date in the case against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer.
Kirk wants the trial regarding her late husband’s murder to start at the “earliest practicable date” in 2027, preferably by the state prosecutors’ proposed deadline of Oct. 4, 2027. Meanwhile, suspected killer Tyler Robinson’s lawyers are asking for a trial date sometime in the third quarter of 2029. That would come four years after the conservative activist’s death on Sept. 10, 2025.
Kirk said the defense’s proposed timeline was “grossly out of line” with similar cases and proceeded to make her case against it.
“Every additional day of delay carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his two young children who were just three and one years old when their father was murdered and would be seven and five years old by the time a verdict is handed down under the Defense’s proposed schedule,” the motion says.
“What’s worse, the defendant’s core argument for delay is that there is such an overwhelming amount of evidence — a perverse position that has no legal basis,” the court filing states.
Robinson’s lawyers have consistently pointed to the large volume of evidence, which is why they want more time to prepare their defense before a trial.
Additionally, they argue that setting a trial date now would create “false precision” and could jeopardize their client’s constitutional rights in a death penalty case.
If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty. He pleaded not guilty to seven state charges, including aggravated murder, in connection with the fatal shooting of the Turning Point USA co-founder at Utah Valley University last year. Aggravated murder is a capital felony in Utah.
The state gives crime victims the legal right to a speedy trial and resolution of the charges brought against the perpetrator.
“Utah law requires that the victims’ interests receive actual weight in setting trial,” Kirk’s motion says, “and for the reasons laid out here, those interests include a judicial process that is fair, transparent, and without needless delay.”
UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY REPORT DETAILS KEY SECURITY FLAWS AT CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION
While Utah prosecutors are aiming for a trial date next October, they suggested waiting until after the holidays to get started. With that taken into account, the state proposed a start date of Jan. 31, 2028. Both sides expect the proceedings to last several months.
The Utah judge presiding over the murder case will consider trial scheduling at a Friday afternoon hearing in Provo.