Author photo

By Olivia Harnack
Whitman County Gazette 

Man accused in student slayings stands silent

Judge enters not guilty plea on Kohberger's behalf

 

Olivia Harnack | Whitman County Gazette

A line formed outside the Latah County, Idaho, Courthouse hours before the arraignment of Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death.

MOSCOW, Idaho - The man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death stood silent Monday, May 22, during his arraignment.

Bryan Kohberger, 28, of Pullman, appeared before Latah County District Court Judge John Judge after following his indictment last week on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.

He is accused of stabbing to death Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Morgen, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; and Xana Kernodle, 20, on Nov. 13, 2022.

Kohberger's public defender, Anne Taylor, said the defendant was "standing silent" when asked to enter a plea. In Idaho, a "stand silent" plea is common, with a defendant not entering a plea, sometimes as a legal strategy and other times to give defendants and their attorneys additional time to consider ramifications of pleading guilty or not guilty.

As a result, Judge John Judge entered a plea on Kohberger's behalf.

"I'm going to enter not guilty pleas on each charge – counts one, two, three, four and five," the judge said.

The indictment follows a months-long investigation and Kohberger's Dec. 30 arrest at his parents' house in Chestnuthill Township, Penn.

Kohberger grew up in Pennsylvania, graduated from Pleasant Valley High School and DeSales University in Center Valley, Penn. He moved last year to Pullman, where he was a Washington State University graduate student in criminology.

Records show investigators used DNA found on a knife sheath at the crime scene, cell phone records and other information to link Kohberger to the slayings, although they have not said how he know the victims or why they were allegedly targeted.

Goncalves, Mogen, and Kernodle lived together in a six-bedroom home off campus with two other housemates who were not targeted, records show. Chapin was dating Kernodle and visiting for the night when the four were slain in the early morning hours.

If convicted, Kohberger could face the death penalty or several counts of life in prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to fines.

Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson and his team now have 60 days to inform the court whether they will seek the death penalty.

A tentative trial date was scheduled for Oct. 2 as Taylor further requested a 6-week-long trial, which Judge John granted.

The capacity crowd spilled into additional rooms in the courthouse, where the proceedings were being broadcast.

Author Bio

Olivia Harnack, Editorial Reporter

Author photo

Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024