After a judge this week delayed the highly anticipated murder trial until 2025, family of University of Idaho students killed in an apartment home in November 2022 expressed frustration Friday.
In October, Bryan Kohberger, 29, waived his right to a speedy trial on four first-degree murder charges while his lawyers attempted to drop the accusation. While District Judge John C. Judge weighs motions to ban courtroom cameras, divulge DNA evidence, and change the site, Latah County prosecutors and the defense have delayed a new trial date.
Bill Thompson, Latah County Prosecutor, suggested a six-week trial in March 2025 at a hearing on Wednesday. Anne Taylor, Kohberger's lead public defender, stated she wouldn't be ready until June 2025 because of the many witnesses and data.
The judge delayed a trial date to hear venue change arguments in May. Kohberger's defense demanded a trial because to "extensive, inflammatory pretrial publicity". The Goncalves and Kernodle families called the delays “fool’s gold” to “keep the parties from making mistakes.”
"This illusion by everyone involved that they can control what happens is frustrating," families said. "The jury will decide after hearing evidence. We must arrive immediately." The judge rejected Kohberger's murder indictment plea in December for prosecutorial misconduct, grand jury prejudice, and inadmissible evidence.
The early morning killings of University of Idaho housemates Goncalves, Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kernodle's lover, Ethan Chapin, stunned Moscow's college community on Nov. 13, 2022. A week of speculation and thousands of tips led to an arrest.
Genetic genealogy, trash from Kohberger's Pennsylvania family home, telephone activity, and surveillance link him to the crime scene. Kohberger hasn't spoken since his December 2022 arrest. A gag order barred lawyers, police, and others from discussing the case.
His defense counsel said they will use expert testimony to prove Kohberger wasn't at the murder site in August, but he replied in an alibi-related court document that "he has long driven alone. Night drives were his norm. He did late Nov. 12–13, 2022."
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