Utah defense counsel appointed for Tyler Robinson in Charlie Kirk shooting case
Kathryn Nester to lead defense as prosecutors plan for possible death-penalty case in fatal campus shooting at Utah Valley University
OREM, Utah — Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect in the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, was appointed an attorney ahead of his scheduled court appearance next week, officials said Wednesday.
Robinson faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder; two counts of obstruction of justice and a felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury; two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, according to Utah County prosecutors.
Kirk was wounded during the Sept. 10 attack on the UVU campus in Orem and was hospitalized in critical condition. He died, authorities said.
Kathryn Nester, a Salt Lake City trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience, was appointed to lead the defense. A Utah County spokesperson said the Utah County Commission made the appointment Wednesday.
The commission also announced $1 million in staffing additions to support both the prosecution and defense teams in Robinson's case, describing the action as fulfilling the county's constitutional obligation to provide qualified representation for those who cannot afford it.
Who is Kathryn Nester? Nester is a trial attorney with the firm Nester Lewis in Salt Lake City. She has represented suspects in several high-profile Utah cases and currently serves as counsel for Kouri Richins, the mother accused of poisoning her husband in 2022.
Richins, who has faced a slate of felony charges, drew attention for a separate case involving a children's book she wrote about grief after her husband’s death. Nester's prior experience includes representing Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, who was accused of distributing saline shots to children instead of vaccines and of selling fake vaccine cards. Those charges were dismissed in July by direction of federal authorities, the notes indicate.
Randy Spencer, a criminal defense attorney in the Salt Lake City area, told Fox News Digital that Nester is a well-known criminal defense attorney in Utah and will have a heavy workload with multiple high-profile cases, including Richins. He added that other attorneys would likely volunteer to assist her and her partner.
The prosecution has signaled that it intends to pursue the death penalty in Robinson's case, with Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray indicating last week he will seek that sentence.
The shooting that killed Charlie Kirk at UVU has drawn national attention to the case and underscored the resource demands of high-profile prosecutions. Officials have said the charges against Robinson reflect a long list of alleged actions tied to the crime, from the initial shooting to alleged attempts to obstruct investigations and tamper with witnesses.
Adam Sabes is a reporter for Fox News Digital. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
