Current:Home > NewsJudge orders change of venue in trial of man charged with killing 4 University of Idaho students -Thrive Financial Network
Judge orders change of venue in trial of man charged with killing 4 University of Idaho students
View
Date:2025-04-14 04:35:17
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A judge has agreed to move the trial of man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students to a different city.
In an order dated Friday, Idaho Second District Judge John C. Judge said he was concerned about defendant Bryan Kohberger’s ability to receive a fair trial at the Latah County courthouse in Moscow, given extensive media coverage of the case as well as statements by public officials suggesting Kohberger’s guilt.
He also noted that the courthouse isn’t big enough to accommodate the case and that the county sheriff’s office doesn’t have enough deputies to handle security. He did not specify where the trial would be moved.
Kohberger’s defense team sought the change of vendue, saying strong emotions in the close-knit community and constant news coverage will make it impossible to find an impartial jury in the small university town where the killings occurred. Prosecutors argued that any problems with potential bias could be resolved by simply calling a larger pool of potential jurors and questioning them carefully.
Kohberger, a former criminal justice student at Washington State University, which is across the state line in Pullman, faces four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.
The four University of Idaho students were killed sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, in a rental house near the campus.
Police arrested Kohberger six weeks later at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he was spending winter break.
The killings stunned students at both universities and left the small city of Moscow deeply shaken. The case also spurred a flurry of news coverage, much of which Kohberger’s defense team says was inflammatory and left the community strongly biased against their client.
veryGood! (15691)
Related
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- National Governments Are Failing on Clean Energy in All but 3 Areas, IEA says
- Transcript: Cindy McCain on Face the Nation, June 25, 2023
- Zombie Coal Plants Show Why Trump’s Emergency Plan Is No Cure-All
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Taking the Climate Fight to the Streets
- The Best Memorial Day 2023 You Can Still Shop Today: Wayfair, Amazon, Kate Spade, Nordstrom, and More
- Invasive Frankenfish that can survive on land for days is found in Missouri: They are a beast
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- New federal rules will limit miners' exposure to deadly disease-causing dust
Ranking
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Fossil Fuel Emissions Push Greenhouse Gas Indicators to Record High in May
- Transcript: Cindy McCain on Face the Nation, June 25, 2023
- Alzheimer's drug Leqembi gets full FDA approval. Medicare coverage will likely follow
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- 8 Black Lung Indictments Allege Coal Mine Managers Lied About Health Safety
- Beginning of the End for Canada’s Tar Sands or Just a Blip?
- Judge Dismisses New York City Climate Lawsuit Against 5 Oil Giants
Recommendation
Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
Transcript: Cindy McCain on Face the Nation, June 25, 2023
Shop Amazing Deals From J. Crew's Memorial Day Sale: 75% Off Trendy Dresses, Swimwear & More
Brie Larson's Lessons in Chemistry Release Date Revealed
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
Tom Brokaw's Never Give Up: A prairie family history, and a personal credo
Ohio mom charged with murder after allegedly going on vacation, leaving baby home alone for 10 days
Beginning of the End for Canada’s Tar Sands or Just a Blip?