Bryan Kohberger’s latest attorney, Jason Goldman, revealed that upcoming legal proceedings and a potential evidentiary hearing are expected to offer new details on the Idaho student murder case. Kohberger’s immediate legal concerns focus on the constitutionality of the plea he is attempting to retract.
Goldman, a New York-based attorney who recently joined Kohberger’s defense team, emphasized the significance of these filings. “We think the [amended] PCR and evidentiary hearing will naturally address some of the outstanding and unanswered questions,” he told Fox News Digital. His priority is to examine the constitutional issues surrounding Kohberger’s plea.
In July, Kohberger submitted a handwritten petition for post-conviction relief, claiming ineffective legal counsel. He argues his guilty plea was “not knowingly or voluntarily entered because it was induced by unkept promises” and “not voluntarily entered because of threats” from his legal counsel.
Kohberger’s plea circumstances require careful judicial scrutiny,” Goldman stated. “Some of these circumstances are public, others are not.”
Kohberger’s case holds personal support from his family, which influenced Goldman’s decision to join his legal team. “Support from family in such situations is rare,” Goldman noted.
The four University of Idaho students involved in the case, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, were killed in November 2022 in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger pleaded guilty to their murders in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
Judge Steven Hippler set a deadline of November 13 for Kohberger’s defense to file an amended petition. This petition, crafted by attorneys, should include comprehensive legal arguments compared to Kohberger’s initial handwritten submission.
Newly appointed Idaho defense attorney Greg Rauch was added to the team last month, with Goldman joining as out-of-state counsel. Kohberger’s defense seeks a change of venue back to Moscow and questions Hippler’s role in the case.
The prosecution aims to dismiss Kohberger’s petition, while his defense filed a motion to remove the judge and change the venue. “The motion questions Hippler’s impartiality,” Goldman explained, citing past decisions impacting the defense’s preparation time.
Kohberger had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and other charges for the 2022 attack. His mother, Maryann Kohberger, attended the sentencing along with his sister, Amanda Kohberger.
Deputy Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Keith Scholl requested transcripts from Kohberger’s change of plea hearing to counter new claims in his petition.
While the court waits for the defense’s amended petition, potential hearings on the recusal and venue motions may occur before the set deadline. Goldman remarked, “We will let the evidence and the filings speak in due course.”