By LAUREN SILVER
LATAH COUNTY, Idaho (Court TV) – Attorneys representing Bryan Kohberger have requested a stay in proceedings as the team prepares to represent him in an upcoming murder trial.
Bryan Kohberger sits in court during a hearing in Latah County on June 9, 2023. (Court TV)
Kohberger, a former criminology student at Washington State University, is charged with murdering four University of Idaho students. Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed to death inside their rented home on November 13, 2022. Kohberger is accused of breaking into their home and killing them.
In a motion filed Tuesday, attorneys representing Kohberger have asked for additional time to review the evidence amassed by the prosecution in the case, as well as renewed their call for materials from the grand jury.
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Since Kohberger’s indictment on May 16, 2023, his attorneys have requested a record of all proceedings of the grand jury as they prepare for trial. In the motion filed Tuesday, Kohberger’s attorneys said they have been unable to reach an agreement with the state regarding the materials, and a hearing on the issue is scheduled for June 27.
While Kohberger’s attorney maintains that “time is of the essence,” they also acknowledge the need for additional time to review the evidence from the grand jury once it is released. In a May filing, prosecutors said they had released more than 20,000 pieces of evidence to the defense, including 51 terabytes of audio/visual media and digital materials.
‘Mr. Kohberger seeks to stay the proceedings as appropriate relief while the matter of this grand jury record is argued and prepared. He is exercising due diligence to discover the grounds upon which to file a motion to dismiss related to how the grand jury was selected. He is being delayed through no fault of his own,’ the motion states.
The motion makes clear that Kohberger’s attorneys plan to put forth a motion to dismiss, and referenced their client’s decision to stand silent at his arraignment, saying he did so “to preserve his right to contest the indictment.”
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A jury trial has been scheduled to begin October 2, 2023.
Court TV will be at the motions hearing on June 27, and will have full coverage on Court TV both on-air and online.
