Idaho
Idaho prosecutors object to Bryan Kohberger defense's effort to move trial
Idaho prosecutors have formally objected to University of Idaho students murder suspect Bryan Kohberger’s motion to change venue and have his trial moved out of Latah County, where the slayings took place.
The filing, signed by Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Ingrid Batey, a special assistant attorney general for the state, was made public Tuesday evening.
“Defendant has filed a motion to change venue, requesting that the trial in this matter be moved from Latah County—where the offenses took place—to Ada County, some 300 miles away,” they wrote. “To support his motion, he conducted a survey of prospective jurors in Latah County, Ada County, Canyon County, and Bannock County.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER ASKS COURT FOR CHANGE OF VENUE AFTER DELAYS IN IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS TRIAL
Bryan Kohberger arrives at Monroe County Courthouse in Pennsylvania in advance of the highly anticipated extradition hearing. He is charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
The findings of that survey, they argued, have not justified a move.
“Far from demonstrating that a Latah County jury pool has been uniquely subjected to an ‘utterly corrupted’ environment, as Defendant argues in his brief, the data show that pervasive and wide-ranging coverage of this case throughout the entire State of Idaho has led to high case recognition among survey respondents across all four surveyed counties,” they continued.
Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
Prosecutors also took issue with the defense survey of potential jurors, arguing it does not reflect “non-response bias” and that polled residents were not given an explanation for the survey.
“This Court must ask itself: would an individual who was asked for their opinion about an upcoming jury trial continue a survey if they had no opinions about any upcoming jury trials? And once the survey started, would a prudent, thoughtful, and conscientious person who is reluctant to pass judgment with limited information opine to a stranger whether they believe a criminally accused is guilty of murder,” prosecutors wrote.
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Kohberger’s lawyers have claimed that the suspected quadruple murderer cannot get a fair trial in Latah County due to “extensive, inflammatory pretrial publicity.”
Read the filing:
Why would the Court change venue to another county that has nearly the same media saturation as Latah County?
Their client is accused of sneaking into a house at 4 a.m. and ambushing four University of Idaho students, some of whom were sleeping.
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The massacre killed 21-year-olds Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, along with 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four suffered multiple wounds from a large knife, according to authorities.
Bryan Kohberger pictured after his extradition to Idaho. He is accused of killing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen. (Latah County Sheriff’s Office)
Kohberger, a 29-year-old Pennsylvania criminology Ph.D. student, was attending Washington State University in the neighboring town of Pullman, about 10 miles away across the state line.
Police arrested him at his parents’ house in the Pocono Mountains after he drove cross-country with his dad in the weeks following the murders.
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The University of Idaho is in Moscow, Idaho, the seat of Latah County.
Much of the case has been conducted behind closed doors, with numerous filings made under seal and a restrictive gag order.
Experts say the motion to have the trial moved is a common step in high-profile cases. Changes of venue are rare – but can happen.
Bryan Kohberger, right, was stopped by Indiana police Dec. 15, 2022, on a cross-country drive from Pullman, Washington, to his parents’ house in Pennsylvania, before he was identified as a suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students. (Hancock County Police Department)
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The double murder trials of Idaho’s “cult mom” Lori Vallow and California’s Scott Peterson both moved out of the counties where the offenses took place.
The judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf at his arraignment in May. He could face the death penalty if convicted. The trial is expected to begin next year and could take up to 15 weeks.
The University of Idaho announced last week that it would dedicate a new installation to the victims at a ceremony on Aug. 21.
The Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial was designed by classmates from the school’s College of Art and Architecture and is meant to honor all students who have died while enrolled at the university. It includes a special sculpture for the four November 2022 victims.
BLACKFOOT — A large contingent of Blackfoot Police officers has cordoned off an area near the Taco Bell on Parkway Drive in Blackfoot.
Police responded around 5 p.m., according to multiple witnesses who contacted EastIdahoNews.com.
EastIdahoNews.com has reached out to Blackfoot Police for details.
We will update this story as we learn more.
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MISSOULA, Mont. — An Idaho Falls angler is back in the Idaho record books after landing a record-setting lake trout at Payette Lake.
Idaho Fish and Game said Dylan Smith caught and released a 43.25-inch lake trout on May 2, setting a new state catch-and-release record for the species. The fish surpassed the previous record of 42 inches.
The catch marks Smith’s second appearance in Idaho’s record books. He previously held the state catch-and-release lake trout record after landing a trophy fish in 2018 before that mark was later broken.
According to Fish and Game, Payette Lake has become one of Idaho’s premier lake trout fisheries thanks to years of management efforts aimed at improving both lake trout and kokanee populations.
Pride Month looks different this June along Boise’s Harrison Boulevard, where a long-standing tradition of hanging Pride flags on lamp posts has been put on hold after a new state law restricted which flags can be flown on government property.
For several years, Pride flags lined lamp posts along Harrison Boulevard in Boise’s North End neighborhood. But Idaho House Bill 561, signed by Gov. Brad Little in March, restricts which flags can be flown on government property, including the City of Boise’s Harrison lamp posts.
In response, a group of neighbors formed Pride North End and launched a distribution effort to help residents show support from their own front yards. The group has been making Pride flags and yard signs available to people who want to display them at home.
“I thought that I would…be a personal example of ‘yes, this is what I do.’ This is what I believe in,” said Edna Schochat, a North End resident.
Pride North End has already distributed more than 900-yard signs and 250 flags. The group’s original donation goal was around $2,000 to order 100 flags and 200 yard signs, but it has exceeded that GoFundMe goal, reaching $10,000 worth of donations.
The group plans to continue holding public flag and sign distributions through the end of the month.
“We cannot just say something without doing something that proves that we mean what we say,” Schochat said.
Pride North End said any leftover funds after materials are distributed will go to local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. A link to the group’s GoFundMe can be found here.
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