Defense Team for Tyler Robinson, Accused of Assassinating Charlie Kirk, Requests 6-Month Delay in Preliminary Hearing.
Attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, have asked the court for a significant delay in his preliminary hearing and revealed the list of witnesses prosecutors plan to call.
In a court filing submitted on Friday, Robinson’s defense team disclosed that prosecutors intend to call Robinson’s parents and his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, to testify at the preliminary hearing. The hearing is currently scheduled for May 18, 2026.
The defense is requesting a minimum six-month delay, arguing that they received over 600,000 files from prosecutors during a March 12 discovery meeting. They stated that the discovery process is “incomplete, voluminous, and complex,” and that one of their forensic biology experts will need at least six months to review the evidence properly.
Robinson’s lawyers are not asking to delay the next scheduled hearing on April 17, which will focus on public and media access to future proceedings. At that hearing, the defense plans to present a motion to ban cameras from the courtroom, citing what they describe as “harmful and prejudicial media coverage” of the case so far.
Background of the Case
Tyler Robinson faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, in connection with the shooting death of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The charges are death penalty eligible.
In February 2026, Judge Tony Graf denied a defense motion to remove the prosecutors from the case. The defense had argued there was a conflict of interest because one prosecutor’s daughter was present at the event when Kirk was killed. The judge ruled that the defense failed to establish a factual basis for bias or impropriety.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was a prominent conservative activist and speaker.
The defense’s latest filing highlights the massive volume of evidence involved and the complexity of preparing for trial. If the six-month delay is granted, the preliminary hearing could be pushed back to November 2026.
This is a developing case, and more details are expected to emerge at the April 17 hearing regarding media access and camera restrictions.
By Mark Smith Follow us on X @realnewshubs and subscribe for push notifications.
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