Attorneys representing Tyler Robinson, the man charged in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, have formally requested a six-month postponement of an upcoming court hearing. The defense team is seeking additional time to meticulously review significant evidence, particularly concerning DNA found on the firearm allegedly used in the attack.

Request for Continuance in Utah Court

Robinson’s legal counsel has petitioned Judge Tony Graf in Utah to reschedule the preliminary hearing, currently set for May. This hearing is described as a crucial stage, akin to a mini-trial, concerning the assassination of Kirk, which occurred at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

Focus on Firearm and DNA Analysis

A central piece of evidence the defense is awaiting involves DNA analysis related to the rifle believed to have been used. Investigators located a decades-old, German-made bolt-action rifle in a wooded area near the site of the shooting.

Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative podcaster and activist, was fatally shot while engaging with the audience during an outdoor event supporting Turning Point USA’s national tour.

Unresolved Ballistics and ATF Findings

In their court filing, Robinson’s attorneys highlighted an “ATF Summary Report.” This report reportedly indicates that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) could not definitively link the bullet recovered during the autopsy to the rifle associated with their client.

The defense stated they have yet to review the complete ATF case file pertaining to that summary, nor have they seen the protocols used to examine the bullet fragment recovered post-mortem. Furthermore, a secondary comparative bullet analysis being conducted by the FBI is still pending completion.

Defense Strategy Hinges on Evidence Review

The court filing emphasized the necessity of independent evaluation: “Until the defense receives the case files and protocols relating to these analyses, and has them independently evaluated by its expert, they will not be in a position to assess the reliability of this evidence if either the State or the defense decides to proffer it.”

Robinson’s lawyers noted that the findings from this evidence could influence their strategy, suggesting they “may very well decide to offer the testimony of the ATF firearm analyst as exculpatory evidence.”

Volume of Discovery Materials

The defense team also cited the sheer volume of discovery materials they recently received. This included a hard drive containing 31 hours of audio, 700 hours of video, and approximately 600,000 data files.

The filing indicated that an initial review of this digital evidence is expected to take 60 days just to identify missing materials necessary for hearing readiness. The filing concluded that the “comprehensive review required to determine what is missing will take hundreds of hours,” underscoring the need for more preparation time.