SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah judge is expected to issue a decision on February 25 on whether to remove the Utah County Attorney's Office from the murder case of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The defendant, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, faces aggravated murder charges in connection with the September 10, 2025 shooting at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Prosecutors have stated they will seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

Conflict of Interest Controversy

Judge Tony Graf is considering a motion from the defense requesting the removal of the Utah County Attorney's Office from the case.

Robinson's attorneys argue that Deputy County Attorney Chad Grunander has a conflict of interest because his daughter was among the approximately 3,000 people at the rally where Kirk was shot.

Grunander's daughter testified in court that she did not video the incident and only realized the victim was Kirk after she had run to safety.

Death Penalty Debate

The defense argues that prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty too early, reflecting a strong emotional response that could compromise the fairness of the case.

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray testified that he had considered the death penalty prior to the arrest and that his decision was not influenced by the presence of his colleague's daughter at the scene.

Judge Graf could keep the current prosecution team, remove the entire office, or only remove Grunander individually.

Potential Case Transfer

If the Utah County Attorney's Office is disqualified, the case could be transferred to another county, such as Salt Lake County, or to the Utah State Attorney General's Office.

The court is also considering issues related to fairness, including whether to allow the full video of the shooting to be released and whether to permit live broadcasting of the trial. The defense opposes broadcasting, arguing that media coverage could prejudice future jurors, while prosecutors, news organizations, and the victim's family advocate for maintaining public access.

The case continues to attract significant national attention.