Judge grants Bryan Kohberger's request to possibly move his murder trial to Boise

September 9 – A Latah County judge has granted the request of Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, to move his murder trial to another location in 2025 to address concerns about a biased jury.

Latah County District Judge John Judge wrote in his decision filed Friday that his reasoning was based on public prejudice, expediency and the interest of justice.

Kohberger, a former Washington State University student, is charged with the murder of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Moscow in November 2022. Kohberger was arrested a month later in Pennsylvania and, after a flight back to the Palouse, was held in the Latah County Jail in Moscow. He is scheduled to face a three-month trial starting in June. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Extensive media coverage and “biased misinformation” in blogs and from internet sleuths attempting to “capitalize on the tragedy” changed the course of the case, Judge wrote.

More than half of Latah County residents already believe Kohberger is guilty, according to a survey of experts provided to the defense. Media coverage often increases before and after a court decision, he said. Latah County's small population, nearly 41,000 people, and the extensive coverage of the case indicate that it is quite likely he would not get a fair trial if one is not sought, Judge wrote.

Due to the explosive media coverage and the documentaries and books that have already been published about the case, Kohberger's lawyers requested a change of venue and suggested a place like Boise for the months-long trial.

As a compromise, prosecutors had previously proposed a neighboring venue such as Nez Perce County so that jurors could go home each night and reduce overall costs.

But Kohberger's attorney, Elisa Massoth, wrote in court documents that Latah County residents were over-exposed to news coverage of the case and displayed a kind of “mob mentality” toward Kohberger.

Moving the trial nearly 300 miles south would be in Kohberger's best interest to ensure a fair trial, his lawyers said.

“Potential jurors in Ada County, for example, did not perceive the murders to be as frightening as residents of Latah County,” the judge wrote in his decision.

The judge also wrote in his decision that Latah County does not have the resources to conduct a high-interest capital trial – the sheriff's office and police are understaffed, there is only one clerk who is “familiar” with the proceedings, and space is limited in the courthouse.

“There are serious problems that cannot be solved no matter how much planning and preparation is done,” Judge wrote.