Topline
Prosecutors in Idaho announced Monday afternoon they will seek the death penalty for Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students last November, in a case that has drawn widespread national attention.
Bryan Kohberger enters the courtroom for his arraignment hearing in Latah County District Court, May … [+]
Key Facts
Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary related to the killings of four University of Idaho students on November 13, 2022.
Prosecutors are arguing the death penalty is appropriate for several reasons: because multiple murders were committed at once, the murders were “especially heinous, atrocious or cruel” and manifested exceptional depravity, Kohberger exhibited “utter disregard for human life,” the murders were committed with an attempt to commit another crime like robbery or burglary, and Kohberger is a continued threat to society.
At his arraignment in May, Kohberger “stood silent,” leading the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Kohberger maintains he has “no connection” to the four students who were murdered at an off-campus home in November.
Key Background
In November, four University of Idaho students—Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen—were stabbed to death in an off-campus home in the small college town of Moscow. Kohberger, a Ph.D. student in Washington State University’s criminal justice program, was arrested on December 30 for the murders and later extradited back to Idaho from his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. Police linked Kohberger to the case after DNA collected from his parents’ home matched DNA uncovered on a tan leather knife sheath found at the scene of the crime. The brazen attack on the students attracted national attention as law enforcement didn’t announce leads, suspects or a profile of the presumed killer for weeks, and they contradicted their own statements regarding whether the attack was targeted. The murders shocked the Moscow community, leading the university to let students finish the fall semester online.
Contra
Kohberger’s defense attorneys reportedly filed court documents claiming DNA from a number of other unidentified men was found in the house where the four students were murdered. The claim gave a preview of how crucial DNA evidence will be in both the prosecution and defense’s case when the trial against Kohberger begins in October. Jay Logsdon, Kohberger’s attorney, also reportedly argued in the filing there’s no evidence of a connection between the victims and Kohberger, and “no explanation for the total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger’s apartment, office, home, or vehicle.”
What To Watch For
A hearing for the defense’s motion to compel discovery evidence is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. His trial is scheduled to begin October 2.
Further Reading
Bryan Kohberger ‘Stands Silent’ As Judge Asks For Plea In Four Idaho Murders (Forbes)
Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger Indicted—Paving Way For Trial (Forbes)
Prosecutors seeking death penalty against man accused of slaying of 4 University of Idaho students (AP)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/06/26/prosecutors-seeking-death-penalty-for-idaho-murders-suspect-bryan-kohberger/