Charlie Kirk / Tyler Robinson

Utah's capital prosecution of Tyler Robinson for the September 2025 killing of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, marked by pretrial fights over the bullet-jacket forensic evidence, courtroom cameras (now before the Utah Supreme Court), hearsay at the preliminary hearing, and a defense bid to strike the death penalty as a sanction. Preliminary hearing set for July 6–10, 2026.

Overview

Utah v. Tyler Robinson is the State of Utah's capital prosecution of Tyler James Robinson in the Fourth Judicial District Court (Provo Department), Utah County, before Judge Tony F. Graf, Jr., arising from the September 10, 2025 fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

Robinson is represented by a defense team including Kathryn N. Nester, Richard G. Novak (pro hac vice), Michael N. Burt (pro hac vice), and Staci Visser. The State is represented by the Utah County Attorney's Office, including Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray and deputies Chad E. Grunander, Ryan McBride, Lauren Hunt, David Sturgill, and Christopher D. Ballard.

The pretrial record has centered on several disputes: preservation of a single bullet-jacket fragment that an ATF examination found "inconclusive" as to whether it was fired from the recovered rifle; whether the State may rely on hearsay (under Utah Rule of Evidence 1102 and article I, section 12 of the Utah Constitution) to establish probable cause at the preliminary hearing; a defense effort to bar courtroom cameras, which the court denied and the defense has petitioned the Utah Supreme Court to review; and a defense request to remove the death penalty as a sanction for the State's alleged violation of the court's publicity order.

The preliminary hearing — initially set tentatively for May 2026 — is now scheduled for the week of July 6–10, 2026, where prosecutors must show sufficient evidence to bind Robinson over for trial. As of mid-June 2026 the defense continues to seek a continuance pending discovery, and the cameras question remains pending on interlocutory review before the Utah Supreme Court.

Key people

Key organizations

Utah Provo District Court
Court
The Fourth Judicial District Court, Provo Department, sits in Utah County, Utah and is the trial court in Utah v. Tyler Robinson.

Cases

Tyler Robinson Charlie Kirk Assassination
Criminal — State · Pre-trial
Utah v. Tyler Robinson is the State of Utah’s capital prosecution of Tyler James Robinson in the Fourth Judicial District Court (Provo) over the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Timeline

September 10, 2025
Charlie Kirk is fatally shot at Utah Valley University. · Charlie Kirk
September 30, 2025
Defense files its initial request for discovery.
November 4, 2025
Court orders that defense counsel be notified before any potentially destructive testing of evidence.
December 11, 2025
Court tentatively sets the preliminary hearing for the week of May 18–22, 2026.
December 22, 2025
State serves a Notice of Intent to Conduct Non-Destructive Testing on the bullet jacket fragment.
January 9, 2026
Defense moves to preserve the bullet jacket fragment from further testing. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Motion to Preserve Bullet Jacket Fragment from Further Testing
March 12, 2026
Discovery meet-and-confer; the State produces roughly 12 terabytes of electronic discovery.
March 27, 2026
Defense moves to vacate or continue the preliminary hearing pending discovery. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Motion to Vacate or Continue Preliminary Hearing
April 17, 2026
Evidentiary hearing on the defense motion to exclude courtroom cameras (expert testimony from Drs. Edelman and Ruva).
May 8, 2026
Court denies the motion to exclude cameras and enters a standing order on electronic media coverage. · Tyler Robinson - Court Ruling Denying Motion to Exclude Cameras; Standing Order on Electronic Media Coverage
May 29, 2026
Defense petitions the Utah Supreme Court for interlocutory review of the cameras ruling.
June 1, 2026
Judge Graf rules the July preliminary hearing will remain open to the public and orders a hearing on the defense’s contempt motion. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Reply ISO Motion in Limine to Preclude Hearsay at Preliminary Hearing
June 3, 2026
Defense files its reply supporting the motion in limine to preclude hearsay at the preliminary hearing. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Reply ISO Motion in Limine to Preclude Hearsay at Preliminary Hearing
June 6, 2026
Utah Supreme Court orders the State and the news media to respond to the interlocutory petition. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Reply ISO Motion to Stay Pending Interlocutory Review
June 9, 2026
Defense files its reply and request to submit the motion to stay pending interlocutory review. · Tyler Robinson - Defense Reply ISO Motion to Stay Pending Interlocutory Review
June 12, 2026
At an evidentiary hearing, the defense orally requests removal of the death penalty as a sanction. · Tyler Robinson - Prosecution Objection to Defense Motion to Eliminate Death Penalty
June 17, 2026
Prosecution files its objection to removing the death penalty as a sanction. · Tyler Robinson - Prosecution Objection to Defense Motion to Eliminate Death Penalty
July 6, 2026
Preliminary hearing scheduled for the week of July 6–10, 2026 (rescheduled from May; defense continues to seek a continuance).