Idaho Second District Judge John Judge granted a request from Bryan Kohberger, a suspect in the murder of four college students, to have his trial moved to another venue due to concerns of prejudice. In a ruling unsealed Monday, Judge agreed with arguments that the local community in Moscow, Idaho, is prejudiced against Kohberger in the 2022 slayings of four college students. The judge did not specify the new trial location.
Concerned about Kohberger’s ability to receive a fair trial at the Latah County courthouse in Moscow, Judge cited extensive media coverage of the case and statements by public officials suggesting Kohberger’s guilt. The judge wrote in the order granting the venue change that the defense had demonstrated a ‘reasonable likelihood’ that prejudicial news coverage could compromise a fair trial in Latah County.
Judge also pointed out that the local courthouse was not large enough to accommodate the case and that the county sheriff’s office lacked sufficient deputies to handle security. The judge highlighted the sensationalized and prejudicial media coverage surrounding the case, stating that it could impact Kohberger’s right to a fair trial.
Over several months, the judge considered the legal and logistical concerns of a trial that could attract significant national attention. Based on all factors, the judge granted the motion for a change of venue.
Kohberger’s defense team argued that strong emotions in the community and constant news coverage would make it challenging to find an impartial jury in the small university town where the killings occurred. Prosecutors suggested resolving potential bias issues by calling a larger pool of potential jurors and conducting careful questioning.
Defense attorneys requested moving the trial to Boise, the Idaho capital and the state’s largest city, similar to high-profile cases involving Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell. The judge agreed that the trial should be moved to a venue with adequate resources to handle a trial of this magnitude effectively and efficiently.
Kohberger, 29, faces four murder counts in the killings of Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Morgen, and Xana Kernodle, who were likely killed in November 2022 near the University of Idaho’s campus. Kohberger, a former criminal justice student, was arrested in Pennsylvania more than a month after the killings and has been in the Latah County Jail awaiting trial since January 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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