Bryan Kohberger’s request in Idaho murder case sparks criticism from judge

The judge presiding over Bryan Kohberger’s murder trial chastised the defense on Friday for asking the court to push back a deadline in the case.

Kohberger, 29, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He is accused of fatally stabbing University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus residence in 2022.

Anne Taylor, Kohberger’s attorney, asked District Judge Steven Hippler to extend the deadline for filing motions related to discovery. The deadline was Thursday, and the defense filed a “Motion for Leave” on Wednesday.

“Defendant asserts his counsel and investigators are still reviewing ‘the vast amount of discovery in this case’ and, therefore, he needs additional time to file motions related to discovery. Motions to enlarge deadline filed on the eve of the deadline are not well taken,” Hippler wrote in an order on Friday.

Hippler denied the motion. He also pointed out that the prosecution’s discovery deadline was September 6.

“Defendant could have ascertained far sooner whether the discovery motions deadline would pose difficulty and brought it to the Court’s attention,” Hippler said. “Further, and importantly, Defendant has not demonstrated with his filing good cause to enlarge the deadline. He has not set forth what efforts have been made to review the discovery, what portion of discovery has not yet been reviewed, why it has not been reviewed or how long it will take to complete such review.”

The defense asked for a hearing on the motion so they could present oral arguments, evidence and testimony to support their request.

Hippler has yet to make a ruling on a series of motions the defense has filed objecting to the state’s intent to seek the death penalty.

The prosecution and defense presented arguments on the matter to Hippler on November 7. After listening to both sides, Hippler said he would take the matter under advisement and issue a ruling at a later date.

In the state of Idaho, defendants convicted of first-degree murder are eligible for the death penalty if the crime meets any of 11 aggravating factors.

Prosecutors have identified four aggravating factors in Kohberger’s case, which are “at the time the murder was committed, the defendant also committed another murder;” “the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity;” “by the murder, or circumstances surrounding its commission, the defendant exhibited utter disregard for human life;” and “the defendant, by his conduct, whether such conduct was before, during or after the commission of the murder at hand, has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society.”

The trial is scheduled to start on August 11, 2025, with jury selection beginning on July 31.

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