BOISE, Idaho – Attorneys for accused quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger will argue before a judge Thursday in Boise to try and remove the death penalty as a punishment if he’s convicted.
Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were stabbed to death in an off-campus home. Police say Kohberger’s DNA was found on the knife sheath left at the crime scene.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted at trial next summer.
Defense attorneys have prepared a list of arguments for why they believe that punishment should be off the table.
The defense argues in several different ways that the death penalty is unconstitutional and violates Kohberger’s rights.
One of the arguments is that Idaho “has no viable method for killing Kohberger.”
They point to the botched execution of Thomas Creech earlier this year and Idaho’s new institution of the firing squad as a back-up form of execution.
The defense argues that having a prosecutor decide if Kohberger is eligible to even receive the death penalty gives too much power to one person.
Each side will make their arguments Thursday morning in Boise, where the case was moved to from Latah County earlier this year.
Arguments will start at 8 a.m. Pacific time and will be live streamed on kxly.com.
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