Latest news with #JudgeHippler
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Why did Bryan Kohberger do it? Public's focus on motive gives him relevance, judge says
Bryan Kohberger, the former Monroe County man who killed four University of Idaho students in 2022, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders. While people may still seek to understand why Kohberger committed the murders, this interest keeps him in the spotlight, said Judge Steven Hippler at the July 23 sentencing hearing. 'I share the desire expressed by others to understand the why,' Hippler said, but by focusing on this, 'we continue to give Mr. Kohberger relevance.' Kohberger pleaded guilty July 2 to four murder charges for the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. He also pleaded guilty to one burglary charge. More: Bryan Kohberger given four life sentences for murders of Idaho college students: Live updates The judge said that even if he could make Kohberger talk, it would be impossible to know whether he was telling the truth. Kohberger declined to make a statement at sentencing. 'Do we really believe, after all this, he's capable of speaking the truth, or of giving up something of himself, to help the very people whose lives he destroyed?' Hippler asked. The judge said that 'there is no reason for these crimes that could approach anything resembling rationality. No conceivable reason could make any sense.' Kohberger, 30, was a doctoral student in criminology at Washington State University when he stabbed the Idaho students to death on Nov. 13, 2022. He was arrested at his parents' home in Albrightsville in late December 2022. 'In my view, the time has now come to end Mr. Kohberger's 15 minutes of fame,' Hippler said. Kathryne Rubright is the managing editor of the Pocono Record and the Tri-County Independent. Reach her at krubright@ This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Why did Kohberger do it? Judge: 'No conceivable reason' makes sense Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Gag order lifted in Idaho murders case days before Bryan Kohberger's sentencing
The nondissemination order in the University of Idaho murder case was lifted by Judge Steven Hippler on Thursday, but all documents in the case that have been sealed will remain sealed for now. The order, also known as a gag order, banned police and prosecutors from speaking about the high-profile case that gripped the nation. Hippler's decision to end the gag order comes six days before admitted killer Bryan Kohberger's sentencing. MORE: New book on University of Idaho murders sheds light on Bryan Kohberger's potential motive Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to all counts at a July 2 change of plea hearing, will return to court for his sentencing on July 23. As a part of the plea deal, the former criminology Ph.D. student will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on the four first-degree murder counts and the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count. MORE: Idaho college murders: As Kohberger admits to the brutal crime, here's the full timeline of events At the July 2 hearing, Hippler asked Kohberger how he pleaded for each count of murder and named the four students: roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin. Kohberger quickly said "guilty" each time. The college students were all stabbed to death at the girls' off-campus house in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger was arrested nearly seven weeks later.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Bryan Kohberger watches from jail as Idaho murders judge announces decision on lifting gag order
watched from his Idaho jail as the judge in his quadruple murder case made a critical decision about the far-reaching gag order. In a brief court hearing Thursday, Judge Steven Hippler granted a request from a media coalition - including Daily Mail - to lift the order ahead of Kohberger's sentencing for the stabbing murders of four students. 'At this point I do not believe the purpose of the non-dissemination order - the primary purpose that we can seat an impartial jury - is at play,' Hippler said, later adding: 'At this point I just don't think I can justify the continuance of the non-dissemination order.' Dressed in a burgundy t-shirt, Kohberger watched the proceedings over Zoom from Ada County Jail - the first time he has been seen in public since he finally confessed to the murders of 21-year-old best friends Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves and 20-year-old couple Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in a change of plea hearing earlier this month. A gag order of some sorts - known as a non-dissemination order - has been in place since the early days blocking law enforcement, attorneys for both sides and other officials from speaking publicly about the case. The order - together with the broad sealing of records and evidence by the court - has restricted what information the public and the victims' families have had access to throughout the almost three-year-long proceedings. Yet the court ruled it was necessary to protect Kohberger's right to a fair trial. But now, in a stunning turn of events, Kohberger has avoided trial after pleading guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary. The 30-year-old criminology PhD student broke into a student home in Moscow, Idaho, in the dead of the night on November 13, 2022, and stabbed the four victims to death. He was arrested around six weeks later but spent more than two years fighting the charges. On July 2 - just over a month before his trial was set to begin - he changed his plea to guilty in a hearing in Ada County Courthouse in Boise. The bombshell development came after his defense struck a controversial plea deal with prosecutors that means the case will no longer go to trial and he will be spared from the death penalty. Instead he will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and will waive all rights to appeal. He will be sentenced on July 23. Despite Kohberger no longer facing trial, Judge Hippler said in the hearing that the gag order would remain in place through sentencing. Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson told the judge it would help the state 'have time to make sure there's the ability to completely answer questions' when the order is lifted. Judge Hippler agreed, saying it would give the prosecution and defense time to prepare for 'what I'm sure will be the deluge of media requests.' Following the hearing, a coalition of media organizations - including the Daily Mail - filed a motion to lift the gag order, arguing Kohberger's guilty plea had 'sharply changed the Sixth Amendment fair trial/First Amendment balance in this case.' Now that Kohberger has pleaded guilty and will no longer stand trial, the court's justification that the gag order is necessary to protect Kohberger's right to a fair trial is 'moot,' the motion said. 'There is no possible set of circumstances under which Mr. Kohberger will ever face a jury to determine his guilt or to determine whether the death penalty should be imposed,' the coalition argued. 'No trial will occur. Thus, there is no need to preserve Mr. Kohberger's 'right to a fair trial' because he has already admitted guilt.' A hearing for arguments on the motion to vacate the non-dissemination order was scheduled for Thursday and both the defense and prosecution filed responses. The prosecution said it would no longer oppose the removal of the gag order. 'Upon further reflection, the State withdraws its request. Now that the Defendant has pleaded guilty as charged to all five (5) counts of the Indictment, his right to a fair trial on the issue of guilt is no longer at issue,' the prosecution said in its filing. 'Nevertheless, out of respect for the integrity of the judicial process and the privacy of the victims and their families as they consider their rights to provide victim impact statements at sentencing, the prosecution team does not intend to make any public statements about this case until after sentencing has concluded. ' But Kohberger's defense attorneys argued the gag order should remain in place through sentencing citing the 'ongoing publicity regarding the case and threats to Mr. Kohberger's safety.' 'The amount of publicity coming before sentencing, even with the Revised Order in place, is massive. Further release would only serve to gin up the anger and violent rhetoric already at a fever pitch,' lead attorney Anne Taylor wrote. 'Again, this Court is well aware of the threats posed not only to Mr. Kohberger, but to his family and to Court staff.' The lifting of the order would increase the 'media frenzy' around the case and 'change the atmosphere near the courthouse and may well push security needs beyond capacity' at the sentencing, the filing argued. The defense also pointed to the ongoing investigation into a potential evidence leak in the case in violation of the gag order. The probe was launched after a recent Dateline episode revealed never-before-seen details including Kohberger's internet history. Kohberger's defense argued that lifting the gag order while the probe is ongoing 'would only confound the efforts in the investigation into who actually violated the nondissemination order and makes the investigators job close to impossible.' As well as the request to lift the gag order, the media coalition has also filed a separate motion asking Judge Hippler to unseal all records in the case arguing that Kohberger's change of plea means 'there is no reason for this case to remain cloaked in secrecy.' The judge has not made a ruling on the matter. Despite Kohberger's guilty plea, a lot of information about the murders remains a mystery. The 30-year-old has not revealed a motive for the attack and there is no known connection between him and his victims. During the change of plea hearing, Thompson revealed that Kohberger bought a KaBar knife and sheath from Amazon in March 2022 - months before the killings. In June 2022, he moved from his parents' home in Pennsylvania to Pullman, Washington, where he enrolled on the criminal justice PhD program at Washington State University. From the following month onwards, his cell phone pinged close to the victims' home at 1122 King Road - indicating that he likely stalked or surveilled at least one of the women who lived there. At around 4am on November 13, 2022, Kohberger broke into the three-story home and went straight up to Mogen's room on the third floor, where he murdered Mogen and Goncalves. On his way back downstairs or on leaving the property, the prosecutor said he encountered Kernodle on the second floor, who had just received a DoorDash food order. He attacked her with the knife and then also murdered Chapin who was sleeping in her bed. Kohberger then left through the back sliding door on the second story of the property, passing roommate Dylan Mortensen who had been woken by the noise and peeked around her bedroom door. Mortensen and roommate Bethany Funke - whose bedroom was on the first floor - were the only survivors. Prosecutors believe Kohberger did not intend to kill all four victims that night - but did enter the home intending to kill and had planned his attack for some time. He was tracked down, after he left a Ka-Bar leather knife sheath next to Mogen's body at the scene. Through Investigative Genetic Genealogy, the FBI managed to trace DNA on the sheath to Kohberger. Kohberger will return to Ada County Court for his sentencing on July 23, where the families of the victims will be given the opportunity to deliver impact statements.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Kohberger judge whines about public backlash as furious families and fans reject merciful plea deal
The judge who granted Bryan Kohberger a plea deal which will allow him to avoid the death penalty has slammed members of the public for trying to sway his decision. Kohberger finally admitted to killing Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21, in their home as they slept in November 2022. He made the concession in order to be spared the death penalty, agreeing instead to spend the rest of his life in prison without any opportunity for parole or appeal. The plea deal divided the victims' families and the publi c, and Judge Steven Hippler revealed on Wednesday his office had been inundated with calls and voicemails from furious members of the public. Judge Hippler told the court he had not listened to any of the voicemails left for him at his office, describing the constant calls as 'incredibly disruptive.' 'It is not appropriate and not something I would take into account when deciding a case like this,' he said. 'Court is not supposed to, and this court will never, take into account public sentiment in making an opinion regarding its judicial decisions in cases. I always will make decisions based on where the facts and the law lead me, period.' Kaylee Goncalves' father had earlier in the week encouraged anyone who knows Judge Hippler to contact him and express dissatisfaction with the deal as he railed for it to be rejected. Instead, he wanted Kohberger to be tried and to face the death penalty. 'My role is to ensure the defendant's plea is given voluntarily,' Judge Hippler said. He revealed he only first heard of the plea deal on Monday afternoon, which is when it was made known to the public. Prior to that, he was under the impression the case would 'head to trial' and had instructed his office to begin making preparations to vet 10,000 Ada County citizens as potential jurors to sit on the case. 'This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to do that,' Hippler said. 'I, like everyone else, learned of this plea agreement Monday afternoon and had no inkling of it beforehand. Once I learned of the defendant's decision to change his plea in this case it was important that I take the plea as soon as possible.' The defense had argued it would be a tedious process trying to select an impartial jury given the high profile nature of the case. Angry observers have also lashed out at the Latah County Prosecuting Attorney's office for allowing Kohberger to avoid the death penalty through the plea deal. Members of the public flooded the office's website with one-star reviews in protest against the controversial move, which saved the killer from the firing squad. 'Horrible Horrible people work here!! They all need to be fired for what they did, no justice for any of the 4 college students,' one reviewer wrote. 'What part about Bryan Kohberger needs to die do you not understand?' another fumed. 'I had a traffic ticket and the prosecutor went after me harder than you went after Kohberger,' a third person said. Kohberger, 30, spoke calmly, answering 'yes' as he was asked plainly whether he murdered the four students. Judge Hippler accepted Kohberger's plea and said he will be sentenced at Ada County Court on July 23 at 9am local time (11am EST). 'The trial will be vacated and the jury commissioner will get words to those who were summoned that they won't be required to attend,' Judge Hippler added. Documents in the court file won´t be unsealed until after sentencing. There's still no hint of a motive for the shocking crime and Kohberger may never reveal why he did it. Kohberger confirmed to the judge that he was pleading guilty 'freely and voluntarily' because he was, in fact, guilty, and not because he had some other incentive. Madison Mogen's father Ben Mogen hung his head and his legs shook as the judge asked Kohberger if he admitted to stabbing his daughter to death. He wiped his eyes with a hanky after his daughter's killer pleaded guilty to the heinous crime. Kaylee Goncalves' mother Kristi Goncalves, who was flanked by several family members, cried as the judge asked Kohberger if he had murdered her daughter and Kohberger replied in the affirmative.
CNN
28-06-2025
- CNN
What's next for Bryan Kohberger's defense after judge dismissed bid for ‘alternate perpetrator' theory
CrimeFacebookTweetLink Follow It's been a tough week for Bryan Kohberger's defense team. Defense lawyers for Kohberger, the 30-year-old accused of killing four University of Idaho students in their Moscow, Idaho, home in November 2022, had long suggested the 'alternate perpetrator' theory – the idea that someone else killed the students. But on Thursday, Judge Steven Hippler dealt a crushing blow to the defense, denying their request to identify specific alternate perpetrators before the jury. Idaho law requires the 'alternate perpetrator' theory to be approved by a judge before a trial begins. The defense offered four individuals as alternate perpetrators, according to the judge's order, of which portions were redacted. The defense's motion is sealed and not open to the public. The judge ruled the 'defendant's offer of proof can give rise to only wild speculation that it is possible any one of these four individuals could have committed the crimes,' which does not meet the requirements of state law. 'Nothing links these individuals to the homicides or otherwise gives rise to a reasonable inference that they committed the crime,' Hippler said in his ruling. 'Indeed, it would take nothing short of rank speculation by the jury to make such a finding.' The judge also rejected a bid from Kohberger's defense team to delay the trial, slated to start August 11, saying the defense has not shown 'there is good cause' to move back the trial start date. The trial has already gone through numerous delays due to disputes about evidence and witnesses, as well as a change of venue from Latah County to the state capital of Boise. Lead defense attorney Anne Taylor argued in court last week the 'challenges and difficulties' over the last two and a half years have made it so the defense team is still not ready to go to trial. The blow to Kohberger's defense comes after Hippler previously ruled he also cannot present an alibi defense – since no one can vouch for where he was during the time of the killings. His defense team has said he was driving alone in the early morning hours of November 13, 'as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars,' when the students were stabbed. Kohberger – on whose behalf a not guilty plea was entered – could face the death penalty if convicted of the quadruple murders. Here's more of what we know about the 'alternate perpetrator' theory – and where Kohberger's defense team can go now as the options to defend their client continue dwindling. The judge's ruling says the defense suggested four possible alternate perpetrators of the murders, each of whom had some connection to or interaction with the victims in the days before they were fatally stabbed. Three of the alternate suspects proposed by the defense were 'each socially connected to one or more of the victims, interacted with one or more of the victims at social events in the hours prior to the homicide, lived within walking distance of the crime scene and were familiar with the layout of the victims' home from prior social events,' said Hippler. But the proposed perpetrators' opportunity to commit the crime is 'an opportunity shared by dozens of others in the victims' social circles,' said the judge, adding, 'there is no compelling evidence that any of them had motive to kill the victims - much less physically harm them - or means to do so.' A fourth possible alternate perpetrator did not know the victims but had noticed one of them shopping at a store five weeks before the killings, according to the ruling. The moment was captured by surveillance footage. 'He followed her briefly out the exit of the store while considering approaching her to talk,' said Hippler. 'He turned away before ever speaking to her.' The suggested alternate perpetrators have all cooperated with law enforcement, providing DNA samples and fingerprints, the judge's ruling said. Lab reports have excluded their DNA from samples taken from the crime scene, according to Hippler. The 'alternate perpetrator' has been one of several tracks the defense has highlighted as the trial approaches. During a pivotal pre-trial hearing in April, the defense announced it had received a tip of an alternate suspect, which they were taking very seriously and were investigating. In May, Hippler said during the final pre-trial hearing he had received the defendant's proffer or offer on an alternate perpetrator. At that time, the judge said he would be sealing the paperwork but wanted additional information, asking for actual evidence of an alternate perpetrator rather than just allegations. He also wanted the defense to show how they believed what they were offering was admissible. Now, in the court's final order, while the defense may cross-examine law enforcement on investigating and ruling out other leads, they are not permitted to ask about specific individuals as potential alternate perpetrators. In another blow for the defense, Judge Hippler previously ruled that Kohberger cannot have an official alibi defense. In August 2023, prosecutors told the court that Kohberger's alibi was only that he was out driving around the night of the killings, and that he had not complied with Idaho's alibi statute – which specifically requires him to provide names of witnesses to be called to support the alibi, along with their addresses. They said it was now too late to do so. Since 2023, the defense has continued to push to use an alibi defense, saying the alibi may emerge from cross-examination or expert testimony about Kohberger's cell phone tower data. The court, however, has continually told the defense they have to comply with the specific requirements of the statue. During a motion hearing in April, the alibi defense was argued again. Prosecutors renewed their position that the defense can only say Kohberger was out driving around that night and the time his phone was turned off 'coincided with the time of the murders.' They pointed out the only person who can testify to Kohberger's alibi is the defendant himself. Taylor, Kohberger's lead attorney, emphasized her client has a right to remain silent. Hippler then asked Taylor, 'if not Kohberger … who is going to say he was driving around looking at the stars?' The judge ruled the defense expert could show Kohberger was at a certain place until 2:50 a.m. on November 13, 2022, but that no alibi witness would be able to testify, and there would not be an alibi instruction given to the jury. He also ruled the defense should immediately notify the court if it comes across evidence that supports an alibi. The defense hasn't filed any motions related to the alibi since that April court decision. Unable to present an official alibi or suggest specific alternate perpetrators of the killings, the defense will likely focus on raising reasonable doubt that Kohberger committed the crimes. During the cross-examination of every witness, the defense will likely work to show that Kohberger had no connection to the crime scene and no connection to the victims. They will also try to raise reasonable doubt during cross-examination of prosecution experts testifying about surveillance video allegedly of Kohberger's car driving to Moscow in the months before the killings and during the early morning hours of the day the students were found dead. The defense will likely try to discredit any cell phone tower data used to show the location of Kohberger's phone on the night of the killings, as well as surveillance video from businesses in the area. The defense has an expert of their own who will argue that Kohberger's phone data shows he was outside the area at the time of the killings. Unidentified DNA from blood found on a handrail inside the home could also be helpful to the defense, to further raise doubt that Kohberger was the killer and suggest investigators did not fully do their job. Cross-examination of the victims' two surviving roommates will likely be aggressive, especially of Dylan Mortensen. Mortensen told police she saw a masked man with 'bushy eyebrows' and wearing all black in their home the night of the killings. Kohberger's defense have painted Mortensen as an unreliable witness whose recollection of the night has been muddied by intoxication and post-event media exposure. Both sides agreed they would not focus on investigative genetic genealogy, the technique that led to the identification of Kohberger as a potential suspect. But in court filings, defense lawyers have floated the idea that the knife sheath found in the Moscow home could have been planted by the real killer. A single source of male DNA on the sheath, found next to the body of Maddie Mogan, was determined to be a 'statistical match' to Kohberger. And although Kohberger has a right to remain silent, he could take the stand himself – testifying in his own defense to explain the many unanswered questions around the case. CNN's Lauren del Valle, Taylor Romine, and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.
