MOSCOW, Idaho (Court TV/Scripps News Boise) — Lawyers for Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, are filing a motion to change the trial venue, arguing that an unbiased jury cannot be found in Latah County.
Bryan Kohberger enters the courtroom for a hearing, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at the Latah County Courthouse in Moscow., Idaho. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. (August Frank/The Lewiston Tribune via AP, Pool)
Kohberger is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. He has pleaded not guilty.
According to court documents, Kohberger’s defense is also asking for an outside jury pool, arguing that “the size of the community and the interconnectedness of its citizenry is problematic and will prevent a fair and impartial pool of potential jurors.”
The trial’s venue was briefly discussed at a motions hearing on Jan. 26, when prosecutor Bill Thompson asked the judge to schedule the trial during the summer when the local high school and University of Idaho will not be in session. At the time, Judge John Judge asked whether the prosecution anticipated asking for a change of venue, but Thompson clarified that he did not think that moving the trial would solve any issues due to the pervasive national interest in the case.
No trial date has been set, and no hearing date for the motion has been scheduled.
