Attorney for murder suspect Bryan Kohberger to lead defense in second Idaho capital case

The lead attorney for Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, now will simultaneously lead the defense in a second high-profile North Idaho capital murder case. 

Anne Taylor, Kohberger’s top public defender, was assigned Wednesday to head up the defense for Skylar Meade, according to court records obtained by the Idaho Statesman. The Idaho prisoner is charged with killing a Juliaetta man in Nez Perce County after escaping from corrections officers at a hospital in Boise during a shootout in March.

Like Kohberger, Meade, 32, faces the death penalty if found guilty by a jury. Kohberger’s murder trial is scheduled to start in June 2025, while Meade is set to be arraigned Thursday at the Nez Perce County Courthouse. 

Initially, Lewiston-based private attorney Rick Cuddihy was assigned to represent Meade. But Cuddihy is qualified only to act as co-counsel in a death penalty-eligible defense, which required appointing a lead to join him on Meade’s case. Taylor is one of 13 public defenders in the state approved by the Idaho Public Defense Commission to work as the lead in a death penalty case. She’s also the only one of the group based in North Idaho.

Taylor left her position last month as chief of the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office and has transitioned into private practice, court records showed. Attorney Jay Logsdon, who is co-counsel on the Kohberger defense team, is now acting as Kootenai County’s interim chief for the Public Defender’s Office. 

A representative at Taylor’s office declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday by the Statesman. Taylor also did not respond to an email seeking comment.