Multiple pretrial hearings in the Idaho quadruple murder case involving Bryan Kohberger.
"The case regarding the murder of Kaylee Goncalves, a University of Idaho student, has become a never-ending cycle of legal procedures, court dates, and stalled decisions, according to her family who are increasingly frustrated.
It's been a year since four University of Idaho students, including Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen, were brutally stabbed to death in their residence near the school's campus in Moscow. Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student in criminology at Washington State University, was arrested in connection with the crime in his home state of Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022. A plea of not guilty was entered for Kohberger a year ago. His defense team has stated that they plan to present an alibi to prove his innocence. Prosecutors have announced their intention to pursue the death penalty.
The progression of this case has been delayed due to many pre-trial motions and hearings, and a trial date is yet to be set. Latah County Judge John Judge mentioned in March that he wants at least one hearing every month in order to clarify the legal proceedings.
These hearings can be broadly categorized into three types. One set is about the defense team's access to evidence, particularly the way investigative genetic genealogy was used in the case. A second set is related to the alibi Kohberger plans to use. The third set involves a gag order that restricts what the involved parties can say publically about the case.
Here's a timeline of some significant pre-trial hearings and decisions:
June 9, 2023: A coalition of media outlets and the family of one of the victims requested the judge to remove the gag order on the case.
June 23, 2023: The judge denied both requests but maintained that the gag order would remain in place, allowing the parties to discuss topics that are "unlikely to affect the outcome of the case."
August 2, 2023: Kohberger's lawyers said they would use an alibi defense, but couldn't precisely locate their client at specific moments during the night of the murders as he was "driving during the late night and early morning hours."
October 26, 2023: The judge rejected a request to dismiss the grand jury indictment after the defense claimed there was a mistake in the grand jury rules.
December 18, 2023: The judge also denied a second motion to dismiss the indictment, as the defense argued the prosecutors had not followed the state's jury selection and questionnaire rules.
February 28, 2024: Kohberger's legal team desired access to forensic DNA evidence used in the investigation, specifically the investigative genetic genealogy, to fully comprehend the timeline in which Kohberger became the focus of the investigation.
Genetic genealogy combines DNA lab analysis and genealogical research, like researching a person's family tree. In this case, investigators found a DNA sample on the button snap of a knife sheath left at the crime scene. They used public genealogy sites to find a match and then sent a tip to investigate Kohberger.
The judge declined to extend the defense team's access to the investigative genetic genealogy records, preferring to let the already-approved experts to justify the need for further investigation.
April 4, 2024: Kohberger's defense attorney was reprimanded by Judge John Judge for conducting phone surveys to potential jurors, which could potentially affect a fair trial for Kohberger. However, the attorney criticized this move by the judge for not hearing the defense's side first.
April 17, 2024: Kohberger's team of lawyers filed a court document outlining their intent to present a cell phone tower and radio frequency expert to substantiate his claim of traveling west of Moscow on the night of the murders.
April 19, 2024: Judge John Judge permitted the jury surveys to continue unchanged.
April 29, 2024: The prosecution requested the court to bar Kohberger from expanding his alibi and only allow the defendant to testify on his whereabouts the night of the murders.
May 2, 2024: Kohberger's defense had requested an upcoming evidentiary hearing with witnesses to be made public while the prosecution wanted the hearing sealed. Judge John Judge decided that it would be closed to the public."
The February 28 filing related to the defense seeking to see evidence used in the case: "The judge declined to give investigators more access to the investigative genetic genealogy evidence, stating he would rather the experts who had already been approved to view the material to explain their reasons for a deeper dive." This refers to the judge choosing to let existing experts on the case explore the evidence further instead of allowing the defense additional access.
On May 23, 2024, Taylor, a defense attorney, quizzed a Moscow police detective concerning the creation of visual cell phone logs and procedures for locating specific videos. This testimony was relevant to two motions that necessitated the prosecution's sharing of evidence with the defense, but because the motions' contents were sealed, their specific requests remained unclear.
Journalists from CNN, namely Jean Casarez, Jim Sciutto, Taylor Romine, Veronica Miracle, Jeffrey Kopp, Brammhi Balarajan, Cheri Mossburg, and Cindy Von Quednow, collaborated on this piece.
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The prosecution and defense teams continue to engage in multiple pretrial hearings regarding evidence and legal procedures related to the Idaho quadruple murder case involving Bryan Kohberger. The US-based defense team is actively seeking access to certain pieces of evidence, such as investigative genetic genealogy records, to strengthen their case.
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