Idaho
Defense asks judge to ban the death penalty for man charged in stabbing deaths of 4 Idaho students
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Attorneys for a man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students asked a judge to take the death penalty off the table Thursday, arguing that international, federal and state law all make it inappropriate for the case.
Bryan Kohberger is accused of the Nov. 13, 2022, killings of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Investigators said they were able to link Kohberger — then a graduate student at nearby Washington State University — to the crime from DNA found on a knife sheath at the scene, surveillance videos and cellphone data.
When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
During a pre-trial motion hearing, Kohberger’s defense team made a broad range of arguments against the death penalty, saying in part that it does not fit today’s standards of decency, that it is cruel to make condemned inmates sit for decades on death row awaiting execution and that it violates an international treaty prohibiting the torture of prisoners.
But 4th District Judge Stephen Hippler questioned many of those claims, saying that the international treaty they referenced was focused on ensuring that prisoners are given due process so they are not convicted and executed without a fair trial.
Prosecutors noted that the Idaho Supreme Court has already considered many of those arguments in other capital cases and allowed the the death penalty to stand.
Still, by bringing up the issues during the motion hearing, Kohberger’s defense team took the first step toward preserving their legal arguments in the court record, potentially allowing them to raise them again on appeal.
The judge said he would issue a written ruling on the motions later.
Kristi and Steve Goncalves, the parents of Kaylee Goncalves, attended the hearing. Afterward they said the details of the case show the death penalty is merited.
“You’ve got four victims, all in one house — that’s more than enough,” Steve Goncalves said.
Kristi Goncalves said she talked to the coroner and knows what happened to her daughter.
“If he did anything like he did to our daughter to the others, then he deserves to die,” she said.
Kohberger’s attorneys have said he was out for a drive the night of the killings, something he often did to look at the sky.
His trial is scheduled to begin next August and is expected to last up to three months. The Goncalves family said they have rented a home in Boise so they can attend.
A Gooding man is dead after an ATV crash in Elmore County. Idaho State Police say it happened near Pine on Friday night and not long after 10:00. There were three people riding the vehicle, and all were wearing their straps. Somehow, the ATV went off the road at the intersection of Bombs Away Lane and Lester Creek Road. The vehicle left the shoulder and smacked into a tree. The 47-year-old driver died on the spot. The two passengers were airlifted to hospitals. Troopers say the crash remains under investigation.
The intersection was closed for four hours as evidence was collected and the area was cleared of debris. Pine is a popular spot for Independence Day celebrations and camping.
State Police had an all-hands-on-deck response. Elmore County Deputies, Mountain Home EMS, Mountain Home Rescue, Pine EMS, and Pine Rescue assisted troopers.
Idaho State Police Save Horned Owl
Idaho State Police saved an adorable owl on I-84 in Nampa just a few weeks ago!
SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — Boise Fire Department officials say that residents have been displaced after crews responded to reports of a structure fire in the 4000 block of S. Northbridge Way in Boise on Sunday morning.
Crews arrived at the scene shortly after 1 a.m. on July 5 and found the home fully engulfed in flames, BFD said.
Engine 15, Engine 3, Engine 7, Engine 8, Truck 7, Ladder 5, Battalion 1, Battalion 3 and Ada County Paramedics responded to the scene.
Fortunately, everyone in the home had safely evacuated, BFD said.
Firefighters then worked to quickly attack the fire and control the blaze. Crews remained on scene for several hours, ensuring the fire had not extended into the walls of the residence and that all remaining hot spots were fully extinguished.
BFD said that the Burnout Fund was called to assist the residents displaced.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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“Landman” star Ali Larter finds her summers in Idaho to be a lot “simpler” than when she used to live in Los Angeles.
At the Newport Beach TV Fest, Larter told Fox News Digital her summer months look “totally different” since she made the move to Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2020.
“Well, it’s totally different, so we can’t really get our kids to hike anymore. They don’t want to do that. But I can get them to take a bike ride and then do, like, a little cold plunge in the river,” Larter began.
“We love to barbecue at our house. We love to play with our dogs. My daughter will probably play some volleyball. We’ll go to Leroy’s and get an ice cream cone.
“It’s just kind of simpler, and the days are really long. The sun’s out till like 10 at night now, so it’s been really beautiful to kind of have the kids out of school and enjoy the time with them.”
Larter and Hayes MacArthur share two children — son Teddy, 15, and daughter, Vivienne, 11.
During an interview with Fox News Digital in November, Larter shared the exact moment she and her husband realized they wanted to stay in Idaho after moving there during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“We went for two months thinking that the kids’ schools would be reopened in California, and they weren’t,” she recalled. “And, so, they were doing online, and the schools there were open. And, so, we were able to put our 6-year-old daughter in kindergarten for the spring semester.
“And that was a huge thing for us because we just wanted her to be around other children and have that kindergarten experience. And during that time, we met some amazing families just organically by the school,” she continued.
“And living in the town and just skiing with our children. And we really spent a tremendous amount of time together as a family.”
After living in Idaho during the latter half of the school year, Larter and her family returned to Los Angeles for the summer, and they realized that “there are so many demands as an actor” when living in the city.
She explained that actors not only audition frequently but are “expected to show up for so many things,” including parties and charity events. While she loves LA and says her “heart will always be there,” she wanted a more family-focused lifestyle.
“We just didn’t want to do that. We wanna be with our children,” she said. “And, so, that’s when I think the biggest change was we came back after that summer, and we just made a go for it and said, ‘Let’s try this and see if it works.’”
Larter attended the Newport Beach TV Fest that honored “Landman,” in which she plays Angela, Billy Bob Thornton’s recently reconciled ex-wife.
On the red carpet, Larter told Fox News Digital that Angela is a “wildcat,” and she wishes she could channel her a little bit more in everyday life.
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