UMVA has learned that a suspect in a high-profile assassination case has been dodging a plea for over nine months, using a strategy eerily similar to that of one of the most notorious murderers in recent memory.
The suspect, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, faces multiple charges after allegedly shooting and killing conservative icon Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. His arraignment has been delayed due to a slew of pretrial motions filed by his defense team.
A former federal prosecutor has revealed that Robinson's defense is employing a playbook similar to that used by Bryan Kohberger, a suspect who pleaded guilty to a string of brutal murders in Idaho. The strategy involves flooding the court with motions to disqualify the prosecution, suppress evidence, and potentially get the death penalty off the table.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Robinson's defense team has filed a barrage of motions, including attempts to disqualify the entire Utah County Attorney's Office and get some of the evidence suppressed. They are also seeking to get a contempt order against the prosecutors for allegedly violating the court's gag order.
The goal of this strategy, experts say, is to force the prosecution to offer a plea deal, potentially life without the possibility of parole, which would be a major victory for the defense. This approach allows the defense to focus on arguing the law rather than the facts of the case.
In a recent court hearing, Judge Tony Graf Jr. dealt a blow to Robinson's defense, but a crucial decision on the potential death penalty has been pushed to a new hearing on Friday. Robinson's attorneys have accused prosecutors of violating the gag order and are seeking to have the death penalty removed from the table.
Graf denied a bid from Robinson's defense team to compel his former roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs, to testify during the preliminary hearings. However, prosecutors may still use prerecorded testimony from Twiggs and other hearsay evidence during the hearing.
One of Robinson's attorneys, Kathryn Nester, has previously represented Kouri Richins, who was convicted of poisoning her husband and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Richins' trial took place over four years after her husband's death, raising questions about the length of time it takes to bring justice in complex cases.
