Idaho murder trial for Bryan Kohberger will move out of Moscow

Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman

MOSCOW (Idaho Statesman) — The execution proceedings of Bryan Kohberger, charged pinch sidesplitting 4 University of Idaho students, won’t return spot successful Moscow.

Judge John Judge of Idaho’s 2nd Judicial District successful Latah County granted Kohberger’s petition for a venue alteration retired of Moscow, handing nan defense nan biggest triumph to day successful nan ineligible process up of his execution proceedings scheduled to commencement successful June 2025.

Judge’s ruling came astir a week aft an all-day proceeding successful Moscow for arguments complete whether to move nan trial. His Friday bid published to a nationalist courts website Monday morning.

“The liking of justness requires that nan proceedings beryllium moved to a venue pinch nan resources, some successful position of unit and space, basal to efficaciously and efficiently grip a proceedings of this magnitude and magnitude truthful that nan parties and nan tribunal tin attraction connected nan lawsuit and not connected peripheral issues,” Judge wrote.

The Latah County Courthouse would beryllium inconvenient for a number of reasons, and besides coming imaginable information risks if nan proceedings were maintained successful Moscow, he added.

Per Idaho’s criminal rules, Judge near nan determination of nan proceedings location — and nan assigned judge — to nan Idaho Supreme Court. The five-justice sheet will rumor a last bid to reply those questions astatine a later date.

Judge John Judge of Idaho’s 2nd Judicial District successful Latah County chose to move Bryan Kohberger’s execution proceedings retired of Moscow. Where it lands is now up to nan Idaho Supreme Court. | Kai Eiselein, Pool

Prosecutors opposed a venue change, arguing it was not “necessary aliases convenient,” which are elements that must beryllium met to warrant moving a trial, according to Idaho criminal rules. The defense, meanwhile, alleged nan level of pretrial publicity successful nan lawsuit — astir of it prejudicial against Kohberger — meant he couldn’t get a adjacent proceedings successful nan organization wherever nan crime took place.

“The traumatized municipality of Moscow is understandably filled pinch profoundly held prejudgment opinions of guilt,” Kohberger’s defense wrote successful an August tribunal filing. “Latah County mob mentality will ne'er nutrient a (jury pool) that results successful a transverse conception of nan community.”

Kohberger, 29, is accused of sidesplitting nan U of I students, and charged pinch 4 counts of first-degree execution and 1 count of felony burglary. The victims were Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, some 20, and Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, some 21.

Prosecutors intend to activity nan decease punishment if Kohberger is convicted by a jury. His defense past week revenge a number of challenges to region superior reward arsenic a imaginable sentence, and a tribunal proceeding connected nan rumor is scheduled for Nov. 7 successful Moscow.

At nan venue alteration proceeding precocious past month, Judge called his prime complete whether to move Kohberger’s proceedings “probably, professionally, nan astir difficult determination I’ve ever had to make.”

“I cognize location are a batch of considerations, applicable successful position of logistics, and prejudicial media. So I have, I person immoderate activity to do,” he told nan court. “That’s going to return maine a small spot of time, and spell done nan rule again, including nan norm itself and nan mentation of that. So I’ll do my best. It’s a challenge.”