Charlie Kirk’s widow has requested a speedy trial for the man accused of killing her husband, amid claims that his defense team is using delaying tactics.
Her attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, gave notice of the move in a court filing and said Erika Kirk was invoking her rights as a victim under Utah law.
“[A]lthough the United States Constitution guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process,” Neiman wrote in his submission to Utah’s Fourth District Court.
He accused Tyler Robinson’s defense team of causing "undue" and "unwarranted" delay, over their claims that prosecutors have a conflict of interest because a deputy in the county attorney’s office had an adult child who was in the crowd when Kirk was shot on September 10, 2025.
The claim has delayed proceedings, with a second hearing day now scheduled on a defense motion to have the local prosecutor removed from the case.
Robinson is accused of shooting the outspoken provocateur in the neck at Utah Valley University while he was speaking at a Turning Point USA event.
Charlie Kirk rose to prominence as a right-wing social media personality, and his killing sent shockwaves of blame and vitriol across the country.
President Donald Trump attended his memorial in Arizona and described him as a “martyr”.
Robinson was taken into custody the day after the shooting and has yet to enter a plea.
The Constitution’s Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants the right to a speedy trial to avoid unreasonable delays; Utah law goes further, specifying that victims are also entitled to a speedy trial.
“The Defendant in this case is entitled to a fair trial, and he must be given one, but he is not entitled to cause undue delay to the criminal justice process,” Neiman wrote in his submission.
“This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirk’s right to a speedy trial and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirk’s rights under applicable Utah Code.”
Such filings are relatively common in Utah, and local attorney Nathan Evershed, who is not involved in proceedings, told news channel KUTV that it would “likely cause some urgency in the case”.
"It's just a nice subtle reminder," he said. "They recognize it's very early in the case, but they are also now asserting themselves."
Evershed highlighted that it was the first time the court had heard directly from Erika Kirk in a public filing, and he expected her to remain in court as the case progressed.
"You will see a persistent and consistent voice saying, 'We want finality. We want this to go to trial. We don't want all these potential delays,'" he said.
Robinson is due back in court on February 3.
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