Idaho
Bryan Kohberger’s lawyers can resume phone surveys of jury pool in case of 4 University of Idaho student deaths, judge rules
Defense attorneys for a man charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students can resume phone surveys of potential jurors in the case, a judge has ruled.
Bryan Kohberger faces four murder charges in connection with the November 2022 stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. A judge has entered a not guilty plea on Kohberger’s behalf, and prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
Kohberger’s defense team hired a consultant to survey potential jurors living near the university about things they might have seen, heard or read about the case. The phone survey included questions about Kohberger’s arrest, the type of car he owns, DNA evidence and a knife sheath found near one of the bodies. It also included questions about whether the person being surveyed had watched true crime-style shows about the case or other things they might have heard.
When prosecutors became aware of the survey earlier this year, they asked 2nd District Judge John Judge to order the defense team to stop, arguing that the surveys violated a broad gag order the judge had issued in the case. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said some of the questions could prejudice people who could be called to serve as jurors when the case goes to trial.
In a ruling issued Friday, Judge said the surveys could continue as long as the questions do not violate his gag order. Most of the questions included information already publicly available through court documents, the judge wrote in the ruling, and so did not violate the order.
Other questions about rumors people might have heard or crime documentaries they might have seen about the case were not part of the public record when the surveys began, but they have since been debated and discussed in open court – which means they, too, are now part of the public record and can be included in future surveys, Judge said.
The bodies of the four University of Idaho students were found at a rental home near campus on Nov. 13, 2022. The home has since been demolished.
Police arrested Kohberger, 29 and then a graduate student at nearby Washington State University, more than six weeks later at his parents’ home in eastern Pennsylvania, where he had gone for winter break.
Last week, a court filing revealed that Kohberger’s lawyers plan to use cellphone tower data to show he was not at the location where the murders occurred. The documents allegedly providing an alibi for Kohberger stated he “was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park.”
The document said a cell site location information expert will testify that cell tower data shows “Kohberger’s mobile device was south of Pullman, Washington and west of Moscow, Idaho on November 13, 2022; that Bryan Kohberger’s mobile device did not travel east on the Moscow-Pullman Highway in the early morning hours of November 13th, and thus could not be the vehicle captured on video along the Moscow-Pullman highway near Floyd’s Cannabis shop.”
A previous affidavit stated investigators had found cell tower data from that morning which showed Kohberger’s phone in Pullman around 2:47 a.m. the night of the murders, at which point it suddenly stopped connecting to the cell network, according to “48 Hours.” It was around this time surveillance video saw his car leave his apartment, “48 Hours” reported.
Jordan Freiman contributed to this report.
The city of Boise is facing a potential lawsuit brought by the parents of a girl injured by shattered glass at this year’s Idaho Potato Drop held on New Years Eve.
The Idaho Statesman obtained a copy of the tort claim filed earlier this month, which is a precursor to a possible civil lawsuit.
Richard and Daryl Ratto filed the tort claim against the city and multiple other entities, according to the newspaper, after a shard of glass slashed their daughter’s face at the late-night celebration, which required surgery.
As Boise State Public Radio previously reported, police reports from that night said they couldn’t definitively conclude that concussive blasts from fireworks shattered windows on the AT&T building and the Idaho Capitol, which fell on spectators.
The Rattos are demanding $10 million from multiple public entities, saying they’ve known for years that Potato Drop organizers have diverted from plans submitted to city officials to obtain permits for the event.
Body cam footage from that night shows Dylan Cline, the event’s CEO, high fiving his pyrotechnics contractor and saying, “F— yeah…” after being told of the broken windows by police.
City officials have 90 days to respond to the tort claim before the Rattos could file a lawsuit.
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Meridian, Idaho (CBS2) — High Desert Harley-Davidson is hosting its 16th annual Idaho Patriot Thunder Ride on Sunday, June 28th. It’s a summer tradition that brings hundreds of riders together to raise money for Idaho’s military families while also tipping a helmet to America’s upcoming 250th birthday.
“Idaho Patriot Thunder ride is a big ride for us every year. We’ve been doing it now for 16 years — first year was back in 2010 when we started this whole ride,” said Mark Dukes, General Manager of High Desert Harley-Davidson.
Registration begins at 7am on Sunday at High Desert Harley Davidson, kickstands are set to go up at 10 a.m., with hundreds of riders escorted by law enforcement down to Carl Miller Park in Mountain Home. After the ride, riders will head back to the dealership, where the event continues with food trucks, live bands, a bike wash and raffles, including a Harley-Davidson bike giveaway.
Organizers say the fundraising is straightforward: Every dollar raised goes directly to two military nonprofits, with donations split evenly between Operation Warm Heart and the Idaho Guard and Reserve Family Support Fund.
“100% of the proceeds go to Idaho Guard and Reserve Family Support Fund and Operation Warm Heart, and we’ve been doing this for years,” Dukes said.
Dukes said the money helps cover needs that can pop up unexpectedly for service members and their loved ones.
“If somebody were to get injured or get hurt for deployment, if they need food or shelter, airline tickets, toys for their families — it’s all about taking care of military people that take care of us so well,” he said.
This year also comes with extra flair: High Desert Harley-Davidson built two custom bikes — one Indian and one Harley-Davidson — both honoring America’s 250th anniversary. Dukes said the bikes will feature Idaho Patriot Thunder badging, 250th anniversary details and American flags, and they’ll be ridden at the front of the pack before being put up for sale after the ride.
“We have one Indian motorcycle and one Harley-Davidson. They’re gonna have Idaho Patriot Thunder badging, 250th anniversary, American flags — they’re gonna be custom done. Both Bruce and myself are gonna ride those bikes in the front, and when we get back from the Patriot Thunder ride, we’re gonna put those up for sale,” Dukes said.
Over the past 16 years, the event has raised up to $75,000 each year. Registration is open now through High Desert Harley-Davidson’s website, with organizers encouraging community members to get involved whether they ride or not.
POCATELLO, Idaho — A wildfire sparked in Bannock County Sunday afternoon has burned 200 acres and is threatening structures, according to fire officials.
The fire is burning in an area between Pocatello and Inkom known as the Portneuf Gap, according to a news release from the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM is managing firefighting operations for the Gap Fire.
The release says some structures are threatened in “a small area west of Inkom” but did not say how many. Bannock County spokeswoman Emma Iannacone said an evacuation order for residents on Canyon Road was in place for a short time but was lifted about 7 p.m.
Evacuations have been ordered in the area, but a precise location was not immediately available.
Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire, though the BLM said it is burning through grass and brush. The agency did not have an estimated time of containment as of 5:15 p.m.
Several agencies, including U.S. Wildland Fire Service Great Basin Unit 3 -Idaho Falls and the U.S. Forest Service, are assisting with the effort to get control of the blaze. Watch Duty reported that the Forest Service is contributing its Helicopter Bucket Crew to the fight.
The wildfire was first reported at about 1:45 p.m. near the 6000 Block of W. Old Highway 91, fire officials said.
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