Attorney Representing Accused Charlie Kirk Killer Has Deep Ties To

Veteran trial lawyer Kathryn Nester once practiced in Jackson. Veteran trial lawyer Kathryn Nester once practiced in Jackson. Veteran trial lawyer Kathryn Nester once practiced in Jackson. The defense attorney appointed to represent Tyler Robinson — the man charged with shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a university appearance in Utah earlier this month — spent a significant part... Kathryn "Kathy" Nester, who has more than three decades of courtroom experience, was selected by the Utah County Commission to defend Robinson after he was determined to qualify for court-appointed counsel. Reporting by David Thomas; Additional reporting by Sara Merken; Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab David Thomas reports on the business of law, including law firm strategy, hiring, mergers and litigation. He is based out of Chicago. He can be reached at d.thomas@thomsonreuters.com and on Twitter @DaveThomas5150. An attorney with deep ties to Mississippi has been appointed to represent Tyler Robinson, the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk, in court. Kathryn Nester was selected by the Utah County Commission to represent Robinson under a contract that appoints legal counsel to defendants who are unable to afford a lawyer from a private firm.

Robinson is charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child in connection... 10 speaking event at Utah Valley University. The accused murderer is being tried in Utah’s Fourth District Court. Nester, who is currently a partner at Nester Lewis PLLC in Salt Lake City, once practiced law in the Magnolia State. From 2005-11, she was an assistant federal public defender in the Southern District of Mississippi. Before that, she handled both civil and criminal law cases in Jackson for more than a decade.

Throughout her career, Nester has tried over 60 civil and criminal jury trials to verdict, including death penalty cases, wrongful death, complex fraud, employment litigation, and civil rights cases. The Robinson case, however, is likely her highest profile one to date. Robinson, who is being held in jail without bond, will next appear in court on Monday, Sept. 29. Over the weekend, Tens of thousands of people, including President Donald Trump, packed State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., to mourn Kirk’s death. During the slain 31-year-old’s celebration of life service, Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, said she has forgiven Robinson.

Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray details the charges facing Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, on ‘Hannity.’ PROVO, Utah — A Utah court has finalized the legal team behind suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, adding two seasoned California defense attorneys to back his Utah lawyer, Kathy Nester. They are Michael Burt, of San Francisco, and Richard Novak, of Pasadena, who were both granted permission by the court to appear on Robinson's behalf at his latest hearing Monday. "In a case like this, many lawyers will shy away from the defense due to the notoriety," said Mark Geragos, one of the country's leading defense attorneys. "That is actually the exact wrong instinct and contrary to your duty as a lawyer, which is to zealously defend and not be dissuaded by those things." One of those attorneys, Burt, has almost five decades of experience as a criminal defense lawyer.

After a closed-door meeting Wednesday, the Utah County Commission announced the selection of legal counsel for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk. In open session, the three-member panel unanimously approved an “agreement for indigent defense services” with longtime Utah trial lawyer Kathryn Nester to represent Robinson. The commission then adjourned the meeting without discussion. “This action fulfills the commission’s constitutional responsibility to ensure that individuals accused of a crime — who cannot afford legal representation — are provided with a qualified defense," according to a county press release. Nester will be the lead attorney and Richard Novak and Michael Burt work as co-counsel in the case, according to the agreement. Nester, of the Salt Lake City law firm Nester Lewis, has practiced in state and federal court for more than 30 years, according to her bio.

Her more than 60 jury trials have included a wide variety of cases, including capital murder. She has headed the federal defender’s offices in Salt Lake City and San Diego for a decade. Sep 18, 2025, 12:02 PM | Updated: Sep 25, 2025, 9:43 am SALT LAKE CITY — Utah County announced the name of the defense attorney who will represent the man accused of shooting and killing Charlie Kirk at UVU, and according to legal experts, the price... KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas helped Utah County select the legal representation for the alleged shooter, Tyler James Robinson, 22. The Utah County Commission announced on Wednesday that its members unanimously approved a contract to appoint Kathryn Nester as Robinson’s defense attorney.

The reason for such a high cost, Skordas said, is because prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in Robinson’s case. Fox News correspondent Matt Finn reports on the criminal charges facing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin on ‘Special Report.’ PROVO, Utah — One of the biggest vulnerabilities in the case against Charlie Kirk's accused assassin, Tyler Robinson, could be the prosecution's timeline, according to a prominent Utah defense attorney — and she expects... Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was shot and killed around 12:20 p.m. on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.

He was a founder of the conservative student group, which had a national footprint and is credited for a resurgence of youth support for the Republican Party. "There’s just so much we don’t know yet as this case develops," said Skye Lazaro, of the Salt Lake City firm, Ray Quinney & Nebeker. The defense doesn't know much yet, either. The discovery process began Monday with a five-day deadline for prosecutors to make their initial disclosures, and Robinson's team already pushed his waiver hearing back by a month. Fox News contributor Paul Mauro joins 'America's Newsroom' to share more details on Charlie Kirk's suspected assassin, as well as his roommate's potential culpability and the growing issue of how Gen Z's internet access... OREM, Utah – The murder case against the man accused of killing conservative speaker Charlie Kirk is already facing major legal hurdles — from questions about defense funding to whether the crime even qualifies...

Tyler Robinson, 22, is being held without bail at the Utah County Jail. Prosecutors say he climbed onto a rooftop at Utah Valley University, shot Kirk from about 200 yards away and fled before surrendering near his home in Washington, Utah. Defending Robinson is proving to be no simple task. Utah requires attorneys in death penalty cases to have prior trial and capital case experience, and at least two must be appointed. That level of commitment can consume a year or more of full-time work, experts told Fox News Digital, forcing lawyers to set aside other clients and personal obligations. "It’s a huge undertaking to represent someone in a case like this," Utah criminal defense lawyer Randall Spencer, who has handled multiple murder and high profile cases, told Fox News Digital.

"It really is a sacrifice for defense attorneys who take on this kind of work."

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