Kohberger trial moved back to start in August 2025

Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with murdering four University of Idaho students, now has a new trial date.

The jury trial will now begin on August 11, 2025 and run through November 7, 2025. It was previously scheduled to begin in June 2025 and last three months.

The trial will start at 8:30 a.m. and end around 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a 45 minute lunch break. Some trial weeks may be shortened, depending on court obligations outside of the trial.

A final pre-trial conference is scheduled for May 15, 2025 and will continue into the next day if necessary. Status conferences may be requested or initiated by the court before that date.

Proposed jury questionnaires will be filed under seal by March 24, 2025 and objections are due March 31. A closed hearing on those will be held in April.

Proposed jury instructions and trial briefs will be filed by April 14 and objections to those are due by April 21. Proposed exhibit lists are to be filed and exchanged by April 21.

Voir dire, or the process where a judge or lawyers question potential jurors and witnesses to determine suitability for trial, is scheduled for July 30.

The state must respond to the defense motions challenging the death penalty by Oct. 10, 2024 and the defense’s replies are due on Oct. 24. A hearing on those motions is currently scheduled for Nov. 7 at 9 a.m.

For discovery motions, the last day to file to compel about any known unresolved issues is Nov. 14, 2024. Several dates are set for responses and replies, and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025. All motions governed by I.C.R. 12, including motions to suppress evidence, are also due on Nov. 14 and a hearing on those will happen on Jan. 23 as well.

For discovery and expert disclosures, the following dates and deadlines are ordered:

• State’s guilt phase experts: Dec. 18, 2024
• Defendant’s guilt phase experts: Jan. 23, 2025
• Rebuttal guilt phase experts: Feb. 13, 2025
• State’s penalty phase experts: Jan. 27, 2025
• Defendant’s penalty phase experts: March 31, 2025
• Rebuttal penalty phase experts: April 28, 2025

Kohberger’s trial was moved to Ada County and he was booked into the Ada County Jail in September. District Judge Steven Hippler was assigned to the case then, replacing Judge John Judge out of Latah County.

Four University of Idaho students, Kaylee Goncalvez, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle were found dead in their home near campus in November 2022. Kohberger was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of burglary in December 2022.