Idaho Supreme Court orders new venue for U of I quadruple murder trial

Sep 12

Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)

The man charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death in Moscow, Idaho, had his trial moved to Boise, Idaho, and a new judge assigned to the case. The order came from the Idaho Supreme Court on Thursday, Sept. 12, as the justices agreed with a lower court’s finding that he would not receive a fair trial in north Idaho’s Latah County.

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The defense argued that Bryan Kohberger, the murder suspect, would not get an impartial jury because the pressure to find him guilty in the rural area near the crime would be too great.

Kohberger’s lawyers noted that one of the respondent’s threatened to “burn the courthouse down” if Kohberger was not convicted of the murders.

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Boise is about 300 miles south of Moscow. However, the prosecution contended the case is nationally known already and a change of venue for the trial would not make a difference in fairness.

The relatives of one of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves did not want the location changed, saying that they believed having the trial in Latah County would help the community heal.

“We’ve always tried to do what we thought was best,” Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee, told ABC News. “Keeping it where it had been, but if that can’t happen, let’s just hit the ground running and just get it going.”

Kohberger is accused of killing the students at an off-campus house in November 2022. He’s charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. If convicted of the crimes he could face the death penalty. The trial is set to begin in June 2025.

Kohberger has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his defense claims he is innocent.

Tags: college students, Crime, Death, Homicide, Idaho, jury trial, Police, Police officers, students, trial, University of Idaho

[JACK AYLMER]

THE MAN CHARGED WITH STABBING FOUR UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO STUDENTS TO DEATH IN 2022 IS HAVING HIS TRIAL MOVED TO [BOY-SEE], IDAHO, AND A NEW JUDGE ASSIGNED.

THE NEW ORDER COMING FROM THE IDAHO SUPREME COURT THURSDAY, WHO AGREED WITH A LOWER COURT’S FINDING THAT HE WOULDN’T RECEIVE A FAIR TRIAL IN NORTH IDAHO’S LATAH COUNTY.

THE DEFENSE ARGUED BRYAN KOHBERGER WOULDN’T GET AN IMPARTIAL JURY BECAUSE THE PRESSURE TO FIND HIM GUILTY IN THE RURAL AREA NEAR THE CRIME WOULD BE TOO GREAT.

KOHBERGER’S LAWYERS NOTED ONE RESPONDENT THREATENED TO “BURN THE COURT HOUSE DOWN” IF HE WAS NOT CONVICTED.

BOISE IS ABOUT 300 MILES SOUTH OF MOSCOW, WHERE THE KILLINGS HAPPENED.

BUT THE PROSECUTION CONTENDED THE CASE IS NATIONALLY KNOWN ALREADY AND A CHANGE OF VENUE WOULDN’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THE RELATIVES OF ONE OF THE VICTIM’S KAYLEE GONCALVES DIDN’T WANT THE LOCATION CHANGED.

SAYING THEY BELIEVED HAVING THE TRIAL IN LATAH COUNTY WOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY HEAL.

[STEVE GONCALVES]

WE’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE BEST– KEEPING IT WHERE IT HAD BEEN BUT IF THAT CAN’T HAPPEN LET’S JUST HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND JUST GET IT GOING.

[JACK AYLMER]

KOHBERGER IS ACCUSED OF KILLING THE STUDENTS AT AN OFF-CAMPUS HOUSE.

HE’S CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND ONE COUNT OF BURGLARY.

IF CONVICTED HE COULD FACE THE DEATH PENALTY.

HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN THE CASE.

THE TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.

WE’LL BE SURE TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON THIS STORY AND YOU CAN TOO–

JUST DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.