The execution of Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four college students from Idaho last year, will be postponed indefinitely. Kohberger forfeited his right to a speedy trial in court on Wednesday afternoon, delaying his trial from starting on Oct. 2 (less than six weeks away). The court recognized his waiver.
Kohberger’s defense counsel, Anne Taylor, said that they would need more time than would be available by October 2 to successfully present their case.
In order to address their motion to have the indictment dismissed, Kohberger’s defense indicated they still wanted to retain the hearing scheduled for September 1 and reassemble to talk about a new timetable reset after that. Since the prosecution said they would pursue Kohberger’s execution, the decision to postpone the trial had been expected for weeks.
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Court Confirmation
In court on Wednesday, Judge John Judge explicitly assured Kohberger that he had not been coerced into giving up his right to a quick trial and that doing so was his choice. Kohberger concurred.
If a defendant does not waive this privilege, Idaho law mandates that they be given a trial date within six months after their arraignment. Prosecutors claim that on November 13, 2022, at around 2:00 a.m., Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. candidate at nearby Washington State University, broke into an off-campus home and fatally stabbed four University of Idaho students:
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. After a six-week manhunt, police finally identified Kohberger as a suspect.
Kohberger was charged with four charges of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in a May indictment. He didn’t make a plea during his arraignment, so the judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Kohberger may receive the death sentence if found guilty.
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Source: abc news
