Suspected Charlie Kirk Assassin Tyler Robinson Adds Lyle Menendez Defense Attorney to Legal Team

The man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk appeared virtually in a Utah courtroom for his waiver hearing on Monday, Sept. 29.

Tyler Robinson remained at the Utah County Jail during the proceedings, despite Judge Tony Graf signing an order last week requesting that he be transported to the Provo Fourth Judicial District Courthouse to appear in person. No explanation was given for his absence.

Robinson’s three lawyers, however, were present, providing the first glimpse of the defense team he has assembled. This includes the attorney who defended Lyle Menendez during his first criminal trial, which ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked on his guilt.

Robinson’s legal team is led by Kathryn “Kathy” Nester, whose appointment was announced last week. Nester is a named partner at the law firm Nester Lewis and brings extensive trial experience, having spent over a decade heading the Federal Defender offices in both Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Diego, Calif.

This marks Nester’s second high-profile case in Utah, as she is also part of the team representing Kouri Richins, the woman accused of murdering her husband with fentanyl. She is not the lead attorney on that case, which is set for trial after Richins pleaded not guilty.

After being named Robinson’s lead attorney, Nester moved quickly to expand her team, filing a request for Richard Novak and Michael Burt to serve as co-counsel. Both lawyers submitted court filings detailing their experience and notable cases.

Burt previously represented Lyle Menendez in his first criminal trial, which ended in a 6-6 jury deadlock, and later oversaw Lyle’s appeal before stepping down. Burt also defended Eric Robert Rudolph, convicted for a 1996 pipe bomb attack at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker” who killed at least 15 people between 1984 and 1985.

Novak served as a deputy federal public defender for six years and also worked as a referee for the Los Angeles Superior Court, focusing on juvenile dependency and delinquency cases.

The Utah County Commission has approved $1 million toward the trial, which will cover hiring two deputy county attorneys and two paralegals for the prosecutor’s office, as well as compensating Nester and her team after Robinson was declared indigent by the court.

Utah law requires that at least one attorney representing a defendant in a capital murder trial must meet specific experience criteria, including having tried at least six felony cases to verdict within the past four years, participated in a capital or felony homicide trial, completed eight hours of approved death penalty-related continuing legal education in the past five years, and maintained five years of active legal practice.

Robinson’s defense team meets these requirements, ensuring adequate counsel to avoid potential retrials, which can be lengthy and costly. Novak and Burt were granted pro hac vice status, allowing the California-based lawyers to participate in the Utah proceedings, PEOPLE previously reported.