Idaho Judge Rules Bryan Kohberger Can Face Death Penalty in 2022 Student Murders Case

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Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, will face the possibility of the death penalty if convicted, according to a recent ruling by Ada County Judge Steven Hippler. Kohberger’s defense team had argued to exclude the death penalty as a potential sentence, but their motions were denied.
The judge’s decision, made as part of a written ruling, allows the prosecution to move forward with its stated intention to seek the death penalty should Kohberger be found guilty. Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree murder for the November 2022 stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves in an off-campus residence near the University of Idaho.
The defense team presented several arguments against the death penalty, claiming that extended periods on death row and the execution methods permitted in Idaho constitute "cruel and unusual punishment." Additionally, they argued that Idaho’s death penalty laws violate an international treaty banning the torture of prisoners. However, Judge Hippler rejected these claims, enabling the prosecution to proceed as planned.
Kohberger’s attorneys have not commented on the ruling.
The four victims, all University of Idaho students, were found stabbed to death on November 13, 2022. The brutal killings shocked the college community and drew national attention. Kohberger, a criminology student, was arrested on December 30, 2022, in Pennsylvania and extradited to Idaho in January 2023.
When asked to enter a plea in court, Kohberger declined to respond, prompting the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. His trial, initially scheduled earlier, was moved to Boise at the defense's request. It is now set to begin in August 2025.
With this ruling, the case enters a critical phase as both sides prepare for what promises to be a lengthy and high-profile trial.
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