Judge rejects Bryan Kohberger’s request for stay of trial

Julia Shapero
·1 min read
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An Idaho judge on Friday rejected a request by the legal team representing Bryan Kohberger — the man accused of killing four Idaho college students last year — to stay his case ahead of trial in early October, according to media reports.

Kohberger’s lawyer had requested the stay last month, arguing that there had been irregularities in the grand jury process. Latah County Magistrate Judge John Judge denied the request on Friday, meaning the trial will go ahead on Oct. 2 as previously planned. The final pre-trial hearing has been slated for Sept. 29 and jury selection will begin on Sept. 25, ABC News reports.

Kohberger is facing four first-degree murder charges over the killings of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, four University of Idaho students who were found dead at a rental house near the campus last November.

Police arrested Kohberger, who was a graduate student studying criminology at Washington State University at the time, in late December.

Authorities had connected Kohberger to the murders through a white sedan that was seen repeatedly driving past the students’ house on the night of the murders, and they later matched traces of DNA on a knife sheath found inside the house to Kohberger.

Kohberger pleaded not guilty, claiming he was out on a long solo drive at the time the murders occurred. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

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