Bryan Kohberger faces court hearing in bid to block cameras from Idaho murders trial - latest updates
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is back in court on Wednesday where a judge will hear arguments on banning cameras from the courtroom in the high-profile trial.
Attorneys for both the defence and the prosecution have asked to restrict cameras as the case of the brutal slayings of four University of Idaho students continues to attract national attention.
The former criminology PhD student was indicted earlier this year in the November 2022 killings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, at their off-campus house in Moscow.
In August, Mr Kohberger’s defence team asked Latah County District Judge John Judge to bar cameras from the courtroom, claiming that the media coverage violated his constitutional rights.
Last week, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson responded to the motion with his own concerns and requested the judge remove cameras “at a minimum” during the “sensitive testimony of a number of young and vulnerable witnesses.”
Mr Kohberger’s trial was set for 3 October but he waived his right to a speedy trial, postponing it indefinitely.
Families of Idaho college murder victims say it's important the trial be viewed publicly
Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:00 , Andrea Cavallier
The families of two of the victims in last year’s Idaho killings are pushing back against Bryan Kohberger’s motion to ban cameras in the courtroom for his trial.
In a statement to NewsNation’s Brian Entin, the families of Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle said “this case is surrounded by secrecy” with “everything being redacted or sealed” - and that “it is important the trial be viewed publicly.”
“It is important to the victims family, relatives, community members and the public that this veil of secrecy be lifted at the trial,” the statement reads. “This not only ensures accountability for all the parties involved but also helps the public maintain its faith in the justice system.”
Both the Kohberger defense and prosecution filed motions to have cameras removed from the courtroom. The hearing to hear arguments on the motions will be held Wednesday in Latah County, Idaho.
Both the Kohberger defense and prosecution filed motions to have cameras removed from the courtroom. I’ll be in court tomorrow in ID when a judge will hear arguments. Goncalves and Kernodle families sent me this statement – they say it is important the trial be viewed publicly. pic.twitter.com/jS4OCfJ2nL
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 12, 2023
Who are the victims in the Idaho murders case?
Tuesday 12 September 2023 20:00 , Andrea Cavallier
The bodies of University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, were found 13 November 2022 at their off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho.
The slayings shocked the rural Idaho community and neighboring Pullman, Washington, where suspect Bryan Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at Washington State University.
Goncalves and Mogen, both 21, were seniors at the University of Idaho and were expected to graduate this year.
Kernodle and Chapin were juniors at the college and had begun dating months before their deaths. The couple of 20-year-olds is believed to have been awake at the time the stabbings were carried out.
Six months after the stabbings, the families of the slain students accepted posthumous awards for their achievements.
Mogen and Goncalves’ relatives walked across the stage for their degrees in an emotional ceremony on 13 May. Kernodle’s family also accepted her certificate in marketing at a separate ceremony while Chapin’s award in sports, recreation and management was mailed to his parents.
Bryan Kohberger claims media are ‘focusing on his crotch’ as he demands court camera ban
Tuesday 12 September 2023 18:00 , Andrea Cavallier
Bryan Kohberger is seeking to ban cameras from his high-profile trial after bizarrely claiming that the media is honing in on his crotch.
The former criminal justice PhD student filed a motion on 24 August asking Judge John Judge to toss cameras from the courtroom.
In the defence motion, his attorney Anne Taylor argued that past footage from his court appearances had focused heavily on his crotch.
Weeks later, the prosecution joined the effort, but for a different reason. They said there is concern that cameras “will have a substantial chilling effect on the ability of witnesses to openly, fully and candidly testify about some horrible occurrences.”
A hearing on banning cameras from the courtroom will be held at 2pm on Wednesday.
Rachel Sharp reports...
Bryan Kohberger claims cameras are ‘focusing on his crotch’ as he seeks ban
Bryan Kohberger to appear in court on Wednesday
Tuesday 12 September 2023 16:50 , Andrea Cavallier
Bryan Kohberger is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a hearing on the latest in the murders of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, Idaho.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student will appear in Latah County Court at 2pm local time on Wednesday where Judge John Judge will hear arguments on a motion to ban cameras in the courtroom.
Mr Kohberger’s defence team asked the judge to bar cameras from the courtroom, claiming that the media coverage violated his constitutional rights.
Last week, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson responded to the motion with his own concerns and requested the judge remove cameras “at a minimum” during the “sensitive testimony of a number of young and vulnerable witnesses.”
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Prosecutors join Bryan Kohberger’s effort to block cameras from Idaho murders trial
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog
Tuesday 12 September 2023 16:45 , Andrea Cavallier
Follow all the latest updates on Bryan Kohberger’s case
