Charlie Kirk’s accused killer calls trial counsel Brian Kohberger to testify
Brian Edelman, a California-based trial consultant with a Ph.D. The social psychologist conducted a telephone survey for the defense and reported his findings on March 13.
“Dr. Edelman argues that the modern ecosystem of the Internet and social media – particularly algorithmic processing and personalization – has fundamentally changed how news is consumed and has made avoiding high-profile local publicity extremely difficult for residents of the local area in which the events giving rise to the issue occurred and The case is on trial“Robinson’s lawyers wrote in a filing last week.
Left: Brian Kohberger, 30, appears at his sentencing hearing after being found guilty of the 2022 murders of four Idaho college students, in Ada County Court, in Boise, Idaho, US, July 23, 2025. Right: Tyler Robinson, accused of shooting Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in 4th District Court on December 11, 2025, in Provo, Utah. Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with first-degree murder and plan to seek the death penalty. (Kyle Green/Pool via Reuters, Rick Egan-Pool/Getty Images)
Sign up for our True Crime Newsletter
Tyler Robinson, left, accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, sits next to defense attorney Katherine Nester during a hearing in 4th District Court in Provo on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (Bethany Baker/Salt Lake Tribune via Pool)
Edelman’s testimony is expected to delve into the pretrial publicity and public opinion associated with the case against Robinson, who faces a potential death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder and Kirk’s shooting death.
Robinson, 22, is accused of firing the fatal shot from the roof of Utah Valley University while Kirk, 31, a father of two, was speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 people in the campus’s central courtyard.
In a summary of Edelman’s opinions submitted to the court, the defense suggested that social media algorithms promote prominent local news, making it difficult for potential jurors to avoid pretrial coverage of the case, including online commentary.
Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, 2025. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking on his “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot in the neck and killed. (Trent Nelson/Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
“Empirical research suggests that hostile or uncivil comments can influence readers’ interpretations and perceptions,” the defense wrote in the new filing. “In practice, the same story may be encountered alongside inflammatory comments that can heighten emotional response and form impressions beyond the factual content of the report.”
Robinson’s attorneys, Katherine Nester, Michael Burt, Richard Novak and Staci Visser, also argued that pretrial publicity influences jurors and can increase the likelihood of guilty verdicts. Judges are often tasked with balancing the public’s right to access court proceedings with the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Listen to the new podcast “Crime & Justice with Donna Rotunno.”
4th District Court Judge Tony Graf speaks during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused of shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court, Friday, March. October 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
Edelman also worked on a controversial jury questionnaire on behalf of Kohberger’s legal team. It included questions that Latta County Prosecutor Bill Thompson claimed were intended to discredit the jury in the case.
Several people were contacted for the survey Call the policeThis raised concerns about violations of a gag order meant to protect details before the trial.
Judge John Judge, who was presiding over the Kohberger case at the time, He described it as “sarcasm” That the defense’s poll would have tainted the jury, rather than the prosecution’s allegations.
Follow the FOX TRUE CRIME team on X
Polls are common practice when the defense seeks a change of venue, Mark Calzaretta, jury counsel and co-founder at Magna Legal Services, previously told Fox News Digital.
A rough estimate of the suspected movements of Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, based on court documents, video from the scene and conversations with law enforcement. (Fox News Digital)
Do you like what you are reading? Find out more about the True Crime Center
Kohberger pushed for change The ruling worked out of Latah County, but he eventually pleaded guilty in Ada County to avoid the death penalty weeks before his trial was scheduled to begin last year.
Robinson’s defense has already tried to take over Utah County The attorney’s office is not eligible From the case regarding the alleged conflict of interest. Judge Tony Graf Jr. denied the request.
People run after shots were fired during Charlie Kirk’s appearance at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking on his “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot in the neck and killed. (Trent Nelson/Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
Click here to download the FOX NEWS app
Other notable cases Edelman has worked on include a murder trial Former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke and Buffalo mass shooter Payton Gendron.
Edelman’s testimony is also expected to include topics related to the declaration he made in Gendron’s pending federal case, the demographics of Utah County, where Robinson’s trial is expected to be held, and the fairness of the court. Jury selection process.
Post Comment