BOISE, Idaho – The man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022 faced a new judge Thursday, hundreds of miles from where previous hearings have been held.
Bryan Kohberger’s trial was moved to Ada County where Judge Stephen Hippler is now presiding over the case.
Kohberger is accused of killing U of I students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle in an off-campus home in 2022.
In court Thursday, Judge Hippler asked attorneys their expectations for the upcoming trial.
A judge in Latah County previously set Kohberger’s trial for June 2, 2025. That trial date and all previously scheduled hearings were vacated when the trial was moved to Ada County.
Bill Thompson from Latah County is still prosecuting the case said he expects the evidence and guilt phase of the trial would take about a month and a half; the defense expects four weeks for the defense portion alone.
If Kohberger is convicted and the death penalty phase of the case moves forward, attorneys on both sides said that would take one to three weeks.
Hippler said having a trial that runs the entire summer would be a challenge for jurors, especially for those who have kids.
He suggested two possible dates for the trial, one in early May, one in September.
Thompson favored May, the defense preferred to wait until September.
Taylor said the defense has been working towards the June trial date that was previously set, but pointed to more discovery in the case that the defense is just starting to process.
She also one of the experts they’ve been working with in the case has died.
They’ve replaced that expert, but they’re slightly behind. She did not disclose the identity of the deceased expert as she said it would give away too much about the defense case.
Hippler wanted to speak more with the defense outside of the presence of the prosecution before making his decision; he set an ex parte hearing for Thursday afternoon, but did not say for sure if he would make a decision at that time.
Kohberger appeared in court in a suit and tie, as the judge granted a previous request for him to wear street clothes at hearings instead of a jail jumpsuit.
Judge Hippler said he granted that for this hearing only but that attire in future hearings will be decided at a later date.
Judge Hippler kept a non-dissemination order in place that prevents anyone involved from speaking publicly about the case.
“I won’t tolerate any violations of that,” Judge Hippler told the attorneys.
Hippler also said expects attorneys to remain civil to each other even as “the stakes in this case are as high as they could possibly be.”
The defense will argue before trial that Kohberger should not be eligible for the death penalty.
The judge will hear those arguments later this fall.
Defense attorneys pointed out the large amount of discovery they’re still receiving in the case. The defense said they were given over 390 gigabytes of discovery since August.
The state said that evidence is the one drive handed over by the FBI.
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