Charlie Kirk assassination suspect's defense playing long game for possible death row appeal: legal expert

A erstwhile adjunct U.S. lawyer says Tyler Robinson's defence squad isn't conscionable warring to triumph Friday's rulings, they're laying the groundwork for a decease punishment appeal, careless of however a justice decides 2 consequential motions successful the alleged Charlie Kirk assassination case.

Judge Tony Graf is acceptable to contented rulings Friday astatine 3 p.m. section clip connected 2 defence motions, 1 seeking to hold Robinson's preliminary hearing, presently scheduled for May 18, and different to prohibition cameras from the courtroom entirely.

Former adjunct U.S. lawyer and transgression defence lawyer Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital helium thinks these motions are portion of the defence team's agelong game, aimed astatine creating issues that could beryllium raised during appeal.

"The defence is astir apt reasoning that if they rise these motions, whether it's to exclude cameras successful the courtroom oregon to disqualify the Utah County Attorney's Office, they're creating imaginable issues connected appeal, adjacent if Judge Graf denies those motions," Rahmani said. "So if Tyler Robinson is sentenced to death, helium whitethorn person much arguments that some authorities and national appellate judges volition beryllium looking astatine if helium is connected decease row."

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Tyler Robinson and defence lawyer Kathryn Nester are seated successful 4th District Court successful Provo, Utah, connected April 17, 2026, during a proceeding successful the lawsuit involving the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune)

He said it's much apt that Graf volition regularisation to hold the preliminary hearing, but cautioned it whitethorn not beryllium pushed backmost by six months, arsenic Robinson's attorneys are requesting.

"I deliberation it's much apt that the justice grants the defence petition to proceed the preliminary hearing. And this is why, if they did person hundreds of thousands of documents precocious and they request clip to spell done it, it is the defendant's close to a speedy trial. And the suspect has the close to waive that right," helium said. "Now, six months whitethorn beryllium excessive. Maybe the justice continues it to immoderate aboriginal date, weeks oregon months out. But ultimately, if the justice refuses to assistance that continuance, that creates yet different contented connected appeal."

Charlie Kirk speaks astatine Utah Valley University connected Sept. 10, 2025 successful Orem, Utah, soon earlier his assassination. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

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Robinson's defence squad successful January filed a question to exclude "television cameras and microphones, inactive photographers, vigor microphones and different akin implements of the physics oregon broadcast media" retired of the courtroom. His defence squad argued that "highly sensational" media sum threatens Robinson's owed process rights and the quality to spot a jury.

TYLER ROBINSON DEFENSE ASKS COURT TO BAR CAMERAS FOR NEXT IN-PERSON HEARING

Tyler Robinson appears successful 4th District Court successful Provo connected April 17, 2026, during a proceeding successful the lawsuit involving the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune)

During an April hearing, societal scientist Bryan Edelman, a witnesser called by the defense, said quality sum of the assassination of Kirk and Robinson's alleged engagement included "sensationalized" content.

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Cole Christiansen, an researcher with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, argued that media sum "went some ways" and wasn't one-sided.

"I deliberation the code of it went some ways. I deliberation immoderate of the code of it was antagonistic toward the prosecution and immoderate of it was antagonistic toward the defence arsenic well. Some of it was antagonistic toward Erika Kirk, and immoderate of it was antagonistic toward Charlie Kirk," helium said.

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"We powerfully enactment unfastened and transparent proceedings successful this case, truthful that the nationalist volition spot the process here," Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander said during the April hearing. "There are conspiracy theories that abound. There are questions being raised, and the champion antidote for falsehood is the information successful accuracy. It's the existent existent proceedings. And that's wherefore we favour opening this tribunal and allowing the cameras successful the courtroom."

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Tyler Robinson appears during a proceeding successful 4th District Court successful Provo connected Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, related to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Pool)

In precocious March, Robinson's attorneys asked Graf for a minimum six-month hold for the preliminary hearing, arguing they aren't susceptible of reviewing the "voluminous" files received by prosecutors for discovery, which isn't yet complete.

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Robinson's attorneys said successful an earlier filing that defence attorneys received much than 600,000 files from prosecutors during a gathering connected March 12, which they accidental volition instrumentality clip to review. His defence squad asked for a minimum six-month hold for the preliminary hearing, which is presently scheduled to statesman connected May 18.

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Charlie Kirk spoke astatine Utah Valley University successful Orem, Utah, connected Sept. 10, 2025, during his "American Comeback Tour." (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

"Discovery successful this lawsuit is incomplete, voluminous, and the processing of it is complex," the defence squad wrote.

One of the defense's experts, a forensic biologist, said she would request six months to reappraisal the evidence.

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Robinson faces aggregate charges aft helium allegedly killed Kirk, who founded TPUSA, connected Sept. 10, 2025, including aggravated murder. His charges are decease punishment eligible.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Robinson's attorney.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.