Fox Nation Series Investigates Idaho College Murders: Criminology Student Turned Suspect

A defense team representing Bryan Kohberger, a Ph.D. student turned quadruple murder suspect, returned to an Idaho courtroom to challenge the altered evidence provided by the prosecutors. The defense is seeking the full surveillance video, which allegedly places Kohberger's car near the crime scene, and claims that the prosecution has withheld the audio.

Claims of Prosecution Secrecy

Anne Taylor, the lead defense attorney, accused the prosecutors of keeping evidence "in a vacuum" and attempting to control public perception of the case. The defense team is challenging the prosecution's request for closed-door hearings, asserting Kohberger's Sixth Amendment right to a public hearing.

Prosecutorial Response

The prosecutors argued that everything related to the discovery hearing has been filed under seal. They emphasized that the defendant will have his day in court, and the public will have the right to access the evidence presented. Moreover, they dismissed the defense's insinuations of dragging their feet on discovery as "utter nonsense."

While acknowledging Kohberger's right to a public trial, the judge expressed that a hearing is not a trial and suggested the possibility of holding a closed-door hearing and then releasing information afterward. He also urged both sides to refrain from personal attacks on one another.

Legal Strategy and Charges

The legal posturing observed in the courtroom is seen as a strategic move by the defense team to have the trial moved out of Latah County, where the murders occurred, to a larger jurisdiction with a more diverse jury pool. Bryan Kohberger faces four charges of first-degree murder and another of felony burglary in connection with the Nov. 13, 2022 massacre at an off-campus house near the University of Idaho. The victims of the quadruple stabbing were Maddi Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.

Evidence and Arraignment

Court documents revealed that police found a knife sheath with Kohberger's DNA under one of the victim's bodies, and his movements were traced using phone pings and surveillance video. The defense claimed that little potentially exculpatory evidence has been presented in court, while both parties have agreed to a restrictive gag order on the case.