"Diligent, hard-working and fair": Tony Graf, the judge in charge of the Charlie Kirk murder trial

In October 2025, it was confirmed that Tony Graf will be the judge in one of the most high-profile media cases of recent times: the murder of Charlie Kirk. The prime suspect is Tyler Robinson, he is 22 years old was charged with aggravated murder and the prosecution sought the death penalty. Recently, Fox News spoke with a number of attorneys about Graf's past, whom they described as a discerning and law-abiding person.

Graf, a judge in the Fourth Judicial District of Utah, has an extensive career as a prosecutor but not as a judge. He took office in May 2025, just weeks before the indictment against Robinson reached his court.

However, his defenders, including other lawyers who worked with him during his time as a prosecutor, emphasize his reputation for seriousness, diligence, and respect for the judicial process.

"He’s very conscientious… very fair. He does have familiarity with the criminal justice system. I don’t think that’s going to impact his rulings one way or another," she said. "He’ll decide fairly, the best he can, based on what’s in front of him," Skye Lazaro, a Utah defense attorney who has known Graf for years, told Fox News.

Nathan Evershed, an attorney who previously worked with Graf, described the judge as a "very diligent, very hardworking" person, someone who "got there early, understood his cases and really cared about doing the right thing."

On the judge's experience, he told Fox News that he accumulated "years and thousands of hours of courtroom experience." "He’s gone to trial many times… He was a prosecutor for many, many years," he noted.

"There’s a really steep learning curve going from practicing law to being on the bench. But that doesn’t mean he won’t do a good job… this case is going to be under scrutiny for years," Lazaro added.

In turn, Evershed stressed the importance of the case, both for Utah and the country: "This case is not only big, it literally could be the biggest legal case in Utah history. There’s not really been a case like this of such not only national but international significance."

Finally, and considering that the death penalty is being sought for Robinson, Evershed underscored Graf's character to handle that pressure. "He’s not someone that’s gonna prematurely put his thumb on the scale for certain outcomes. He understands his role… of judicial restraint and making sure that things are handled appropriately," he sentenced.