Tyler Robinson, 23, faces several charges after allegedly shooting and killing conservative icon Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Robinson has yet to enter a plea, as an arraignment cannot be held until the preliminary hearing has been conducted in Utah.

Defense Strategy

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani says Robinson’s defense is following the same playbook as one of the most notorious murderers in recent memory, Bryan Kohberger. Robinson’s legal team has flooded the court with motions, successfully delaying the case at every chance they’ve gotten.

Rahmani pointed out that Kohberger’s defense team had the strategy of ‘litigating everything’ such as ‘venue, gag orders, disqualification, suppression, you name it.’ Robinson’s defense is doing the same, filing motion after motion to put the prosecution on its heels.

The goal of this strategy is to get the death penalty off the table. By filing these legal motions, the defense is hoping to argue the law rather than the facts of the case. If they prevail on one or more of these motions, or if the prosecution thinks they may lose on appeal, the defense may be able to secure a life without the possibility of parole deal.

Recent Developments

Judge Tony Graf Jr. dealt a blow to Robinson’s defense on Monday, but pushed a more consequential decision to a new hearing that will be held on Friday. Robinson’s attorneys have accused prosecutors of violating a gag order in the case by discussing it outside the courtroom, and they have asked Graf to take the potential death penalty off the table as a result.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.