Experts weigh in on evidence and 'legal hurdles' that may lead to Bryan Kohberger's acquittal in Idaho murders
This article is based on sources and MEAWW cannot verify this information independently.
MOSCOW, IDAHO: As the preliminary hearing for Bryan Kohberger, which is set for June 26, is coming nearer, the curiosity of whether the criminology student will walk free or not is going stronger. Kohberger is charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves, which he allegedly committed in the early hours of November 13, 2022.
DailyMail published a video, entitled 'Idaho murders: Could Bryan Kohberger walk free?' that showed former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani and forensic psychiatrist Dr Carole Lieberman stressing on how evidence collection, Kohberger's childhood, and even his DNA found at the scene can be used in his defense, which may lead to a verdict of not guilty. Dr Lieberman told the outlet, "Bryan Kohberger is a petri dish of psychopathology. A defense psychiatrist would have a lot to work with." While Rahmani said, "They're going to put up factual roadblocks as well as legal hurdles. The defense is going to attack the evidence in this case."
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Commenting further, Joseph Scott Morgan, a Jacksonville State University forensics professor, said, "All it takes is one juror to create, plant that seed of reasonable doubt. And there's no doubt in my mind that the defense is going to utilize that."
Evidence against Bryan Kohberger
According to News Nation, an ID connected to someone from the quadruple homicide was found during a search at Kohberger’s residence but it was not specified to whom they belonged. Commenting on it, retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer said, "It’s a big deal. That is a smoking license. Just like the sheath was a smoking sheath found next to Maddie with his DNA on that clasp, it’s the same thing in this situation. Why would he have an ID related to one of those people from that house?” Court documents also stated that investigators have linked him to the murder scene via DNA evidence on a knife sheath left there.
Apart from that, video footage from local residents showed a white Hyundai Elantra in the area on the night of the murders. An affidavit stated, "A review of footage from multiple videos obtained from the King Road Neighborhood showed multiple sightings of Suspect Vehicle I starting at 3.29 am and ending at 4.20 am. These sightings show Suspect Vehicle I makes an initial three passes by the 1122 King Road residence and then leave via Walenta Drive," reports Inside Edition.
Police identified the white Hyundai Elantra as critical to their investigation and used the car to track Kohberger at Washington State University, to his parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested on December 30, 2022. Although internet sleuths are continuing to point out that he might be guilty, DailyMail's video specifically states, "A court of public opinion, however, is not the court of law. It doesn't matter if he looks like the type or if there's just something about his eyes. The only thing that matters will be the opinion of 12 jurors."
What will defense going to look at?
Forensics professor Scott Morgan said, "Well, the first thing you have to do as an investigator is to find out whether or not any person in that home owned a knife sheath that is similar to that. The defense will look at that." Pointing at the DNA evidence found on a knife sheath, former federal prosecutor Rahmani said, "One thing that I expect them to do is attack the DNA, say it's not reliable, it's only one source, and it could have been transferred there by anyone. And there's going to be a whole host of other people that have DNA there."
Faces four counts of murder
Kohberger, who graduated from DeSales University in Pennsylvania in May 2022 with a master of arts in criminal justice and was a PhD student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, was arrested on December 30, 2022, by the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police. He was ordered to be held without bail and faces four counts of first-degree murder for the brutal stabbings. He has not yet entered a plea and is awaiting a preliminary hearing in late June.