An Idaho judge denied a motion from Bryan Kohberger's defense panel, demanding the death penalty to be removed as a potential punishment for possible guilt.
Kohberger was charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of four University of Idaho students, including Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Ethan Chapin, 20. A former student at the University of Washington has also been charged with one felony theft.
At a hearing on April 9, Koberg's defense team filed a motion to remove the death penalty, believing that the discoveries produced by prosecutors were both huge and unorganized. Koberg believes this means he cannot meaningfully review and investigate evidence prepared for the trial, which is currently scheduled to begin in August.
Judge Steven Hippler wrote in an order Tuesday that Kohberger complained about the number of discoveries found “a ring-hole”.
Judge ruled death penalty in Bryan Kohberger's autism diagnosis to keep punishment
Bryan Kohberger entered the court for a trial hearing at the Lata County District Court in Moscow, Idaho on May 22, 2023. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. (Zach Wilkinson-Pool/Getty Images)
"(Kohberger) has received two years of discovery in the same way," Shippler wrote. "(Kohberger) has not sought other resources … to hire more employees to review discovery or obtain litigation document control software to help organize and classify evidence. His leading lawyer insists that despite many discoveries in this case, she can still accept a second high-profile capital case."
Shippler also wrote that Koberg's attorney Anne Taylor said she was to review all findings personally, rather than relying on employees and employees to review materials to cut less relevant information, and point out the materials needed by leading attorneys. ”
Bryan Kohberger's way and nothing?
Bryan Kohberger, accused of murder, held a hearing on the camera in a Lata County District Court court in Moscow, Idaho on September 13, 2023. Kohberger, a former criminology doctoral student, was indicted earlier in November 2022 for Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; Ethan Chapin, 20, in an off-campus apartment near the University of Idaho. (Ted S. Warren-Pool/Getty Images)
"These actions do not indicate a heavy burden on the defense team," Shippler wrote.
Shippler said one of the arguments made in Kochberg’s defense team was that prosecutors “attract their output with completely irrelevant documents.”
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Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend Kaylee Goncalves, who pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Goncalves’ last two roommates and share the day before four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/instagram)
Hippler's decision less than a week later, he denied another motion to remove the death penalty. Koberg's defense team previously argued that the defendant's autism diagnosis should rule out the death penalty.
Fox News' Alexandra Koch and Michael Ruiz contributed to the report.