Idaho
Idaho student murders: Bryan Kohberger's family could be asked to testify against him, court docs reveal
Idaho prosecutors asked a judge to reject, at least partially, student murder suspect Bryan Kohberger’s request to give his family priority seating at his upcoming trial — arguing in part that relatives may be called as witnesses.
Deputy Latah County Prosecutor Ashley Jennings wrote in a court filing asking Judge Steven Hippler to exclude any potential witnesses in Kohberger’s family from attending the trial prior to giving their own testimony.
“The State may call member(s) of the Kohberger family to testify at trial,” she wrote. “Prior to start of the trial, the State anticipates it will motion the Court, or the Court will on its own accord, generally exclude testifying witnesses from the courtroom so that they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER’S AMAZON RECORDS ARE ‘CATASTROPHIC’ FOR DEFENSE, ‘SMOKING GUN’ FOR PROSECUTORS, EXPERTS SAY
Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger and his father are pulled over in Indiana during a drove home to Pennsylvania in December 2022. (Indiana State Police)
While victims’ relatives have guaranteed legal rights, there is nothing that gives the same to an accused killer’s family, Jennings argued.
“Defendant requests that members of his family be granted the same rights as the victim’s families,” Jennings continued. “However, the ‘immediate families of homicide victims’ have constitutional and statutory rights to attend pursuant to [the] Idaho Constitution…There is no comparable constitutional or statutory provisions affording a defendant’s family these same rights.”
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Amanda Kohberger, sister of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger, is spotted exiting Monroe County Court House in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
Kohberger’s defense lawyers asked for his family to be included in a list of people to receive priority seating earlier this month, after prosecutors submitted a list of the victims’ relatives to the court.
Defense attorney Elisa Massoth claimed that excluding them would violate his Sixth Amendment rights. But Jennings shot down that logic.
PROSECUTORS CLAP BACK AT BRYAN KOHBERGER’S ‘BUSHY EYEBROWS’ DENIAL BY SHARING ALLEGED SELFIE FROM DAY OF MURDERS
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)
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“The Defendant has a constitutional and statutory right to a ‘public trial,’ but that does not extend to Defendant’s choosing whom sits in the courtroom,” she wrote.
The 30-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University is accused of driving to the neighboring University of Idaho and killing four students.
IDAHO COURT RELEASES SURVIVING ROOMMATES’ TEXT MESSAGES FROM NIGHT OF STUDENT MURDERS
Prosecutors allege Bryan Kohberger took this selfie photo at 10:31 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022 – about 6 hours after the murders of four University of Idaho students he is accused of committing. (Ada County Court)
The victims were identified as Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. At least two were incapacitated and unable to react at the start of the 4 a.m. home invasion stabbings, according to court documents.
Police found a Ka-Bar knife sheath under Mogen’s body that allegedly had Kohberger’s DNA on it. Prosecutors have also alleged that surveillance video of a suspect vehicle and Kohberger’s phone records help place him at the scene.
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University of Idaho students from left to right: Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. All four were stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022. (Jazzmin Kernodle via AP/Instagram/ @kayleegoncalves)
The defense did not object to the presence of the victim families in court, but Kohberger’s lawyers took a swipe at the Goncalves family by asking the judge to ban people from wearing clothing with the victims’ faces on it in court.
Another judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf at his arraignment in May 2023, to four counts of first-degree murder and one of burglary.
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Trial is scheduled to begin on Aug. 11 in Boise after a change of venue.
Kohberger could face the death penalty if convicted.
Idaho
Fire damages sheds, power lines near W. Idaho Ave in Ontario
ONTARIO, Oregon — A fire in a lot near W. Idaho Ave and South Oregon Street in Ontario has visibly damaged sheds and power lines.
Idaho News 6 arrived at the scene Sunday morning at around 12 p.m., finding nearby sheds across a fence line scorched, but standing. Power lines appeared to be damaged in the blaze.
No fire, police, or EMS were still on scene, and there were no surrounding road closures.
Idaho News 6 has reached out to officials and is awaiting additional information.
Idaho
Volunteers camp out to take part in the Succor Creek Clean-Up in the Owyhees
ADRIAN, Oregon — The Friends of the Owyhee organized a clean-up in Malheur County in Oregon, and volunteers came out to pick up trash and get rid of abandoned campers.
“We had two abandoned RV’S and a camper that were abandoned out on public lands,” said Tim Davis, who runs the Friends of the Owyhee. “They were sitting there for upwards of a year, and it is really clear that it is hard to get rid of these.”
WATCH| Check out the video to see volunteers demolish a camper—
Volunteers camp out for the Succor Creek Clean-Up in the Owyhees
Davis worked with the local sheriff’s office and the BLM to remove the campers, but he found it difficult because there was no place to take these recreational vehicles. The Gambler 500, an off-road group, brought out some people to demolish a camper with an excavator.
“That is awesome to see the turnout with the army of volunteers we have today,” said Brian Arndt of the Gambler 500 group. “We are going to be able to get the camper all in the dumpster, get it cleaned down to the frame, and then everything that can be recycled will be recycled.”
Volunteers camped out on Succor Creek Road on Friday night so they could get an early start on Saturday. Many volunteers will camp out again on Saturday night and finish the clean-up on Sunday.
“Malheur is the 12th largest county in the United States, and it’s 74 percent public land,” said Davis. “We have very few resources with the BLM; they are understaffed, they have one rec planner right now, so us, as public land owners, should be able to step up and keep this place clean.”
Lela Blizzard works as the lone recreational planner for the Vail District of the BLM, who says most sites have signs that say pack it in and pack it out. She says the BLM really needs the cooperation of the public because of how large it is, and she was happy to see how many volunteers showed up.
“I just want to tell them thank you because I know they are taking time out of their weekend to come out here to help us make sure the land continues to look nice for everyone who comes out to enjoy it,” said Blizzard.
Griz Ward is one of the volunteers, and he enjoyed camping out, but he also would like to see people pick up after themselves. When it comes to outdoor recreation, it is so important to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
“If you come out here and play in the area, be respectful,” said Ward. “Pack it in and pack it out, leave no trace and do the right thing, or frankly, stay home.”
The Succor Creek Clean-Up also received a lot of support from the Treasure Valley, as they got donations from the Ontario Sanitation Service with the dumpsters, Tates Rents with the excavator, and United with porta-potties for the campsite.
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Idaho
No Kings movement brings statewide protests to Idaho this weekend
IDAHO — ‘No Kings 3’ protests will take place throughout Idaho on March 28, including in Boise and Twin Falls.
According to the Idaho 50501 Facebook page, there will be speakers & musicians playing at protests across the Treasure Valley.
Protests will take place in Boise, Caldwell, Nampa, Mountain Home, Twin Falls, and other Idaho cities.
NoKings.org
On March 28, Neighborhood Reporters Allie Triepke & Lorien Nettleton will bring coverage of the Boise & Twin Falls protests on Idaho News 6 at 10.
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