Bryan Kohberger appears in court to postpone trial

MOSCOW, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students, is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, in an attempt to move the trial out of Latah County.

In November 2022, the four students were found dead in an off-campus house in Moscow. Kohberger was arrested as a suspect in the murders.

Court documents released on August 19 show that Kohberger's defense attorneys are asking for the trial to be moved from the small Moscow community to another location after seeing the results of a public survey that suggested violent reactions if Kohberger is not found guilty.

Court documents show that the defense argued that the pressure to convict Kohberger was so great that if Kohberger were not convicted, survey respondents would have given the following responses:

• “They would burn down the courthouse. Outrage would be a mild description.”
• “They would probably find him and kill him.”
• “There would probably be a riot and he wouldn't last long outside because someone would get justice for the good old boy.” “Angry strong opinions. Firing of officials.”
• “Riots, the parents would take care of him.”

The defense is demanding that the trial be moved to Boise or Ada County, the largest county in Idaho.

The trial is scheduled to begin in June 2025.