Erika Kirk blasts ‘absurd’ bid by Charlie Kirk’s accused killer to delay trial

Attorneys for the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk have proposed delaying his trial until 2029, prompting an angry response from the slain activist’s widow.

Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, 23, say they need several years to prepare his defense in the complex death penalty case, including reviewing tens of thousands of files handed over by prosecutors.

But attorneys representing Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, branded the proposed timeline “absurd” and accused Robinson of deliberately attempting to delay proceedings.

Robinson has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in the fatal shooting of Kirk, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, during an event attended by thousands at Utah Valley University last year. He surrendered to authorities the following day and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Utah County prosecutors have said they could be ready for trial by October 2027 but proposed January 31, 2028, as a start date to avoid the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. They estimate the trial will last 17 weeks.

Erika Kirk’s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, has urged the court to begin proceedings in October 2027, arguing that further delays would prolong the suffering of the couple’s two young children.

“Under the Defendants’ proposed schedule, Mr. Kirk’s two children, who were one and three at the time he was murdered, will be six and eight years old by the time the trial concludes,” Neiman wrote.

“They will face the uncertainty of this criminal proceeding longer than they had their father in their lives.”

Robinson’s defense team argues that extensive investigations into his background, potential mitigating factors and jury selection will require considerable time.

In a filing Wednesday, his lawyers said attempting to predict when such a complicated capital case would be ready for trial was an exercise in “false precision.”

Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf is scheduled to hold a hearing Friday to determine a trial date.