(Scypre.com) – The trial for Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students, has been pushed from June to August 2024 by the newly assigned judge. Ada County District Court Judge Steven Hippler issued the ruling following Kohberger’s first Boise court appearance on September 26. Kohberger, 29, faces charges related to the fatal stabbing of four students—Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin—in an off-campus apartment in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022.
Judge Hippler set the new tentative start date for August 11, with the trial possibly running through November 7, including a penalty phase if Kohberger is convicted. This shift from the original June date was influenced by concerns over potential summer distractions for jurors, who may be impacted by family and school commitments. The previous judge, who had proposed the June start, aimed to prevent the trial from clashing with the academic year in the college town of Moscow. However, Hippler emphasized that a June trial could still influence jury selection.
Kohberger’s defense attorney, Ann Taylor, further supported the delay, stating that more time was needed to process discovery materials and introduce a new expert witness after the death of a previous defense witness. The trial had already seen venue changes due to concerns over bias in Moscow, leading to its relocation to Boise, nearly 300 miles away.
During the Boise hearing, Hippler laid out strict rules of conduct for the attorneys involved, asking that they avoid personal attacks, theatrics, and any misrepresentation of facts. “I expect for you at all times to remain civil to each other, that you not engage in personal attacks, ad hominem attacks, that you not engage in theatrics, not misstate facts or the law to the court,” Hippler said.
In addition to managing the trial schedule and courtroom behavior, Hippler must also decide whether the death penalty will be an option if Kohberger is convicted. A hearing on this matter is set for next month.
Kohberger, a doctoral student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, was arrested over a month after the killings. Prosecutors linked him to the crime using DNA evidence, cellphone data, and security footage. Despite this, Kohberger maintains his innocence, and the defense has denied his involvement in the murders. A clear motive has yet to emerge in the case, which continues to capture national attention.