Idaho murders: Bryan Kohberger's attorney slams 'grotesquely twisted' media coverage of students' stabbing
This article is based on sources and MEAWW cannot verify this information independently.
MOSCOW, IDAHO: The defense team for Bryan Kohberger criticized the "grotesquely twisted" media coverage of the November 2022 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students. The coeds are suspected of being ambushed in their beds at around 4 am by Kohberger, a 28-year-old PhD student in criminology at the neighboring Washington State University, after they had returned from a Friday night out in their college town.
Police remained silent about the suspect for about two months, and there is still no obvious motive in the case, which has attracted nation-wide attention. The Associated Press and other media outlets are asking the Idaho Supreme Court to order the Latah County court to break its gag order on the case, but Kootenai County Public Defender Anne Taylor is fighting the motion.
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'Grotesquely twisted'
From Taylor's office, Jay Weston Logsdon argued that the media group's efforts are pointless in court documents that were made public on Friday. He wrote, "What the media really seeks here is a procedural victory, knowing full well it cannot win on the merits of any test, given the pervasive and grotesquely twisted nature of media coverage that has occurred thus far."
He further stated that rather than moving directly to the state's Supreme Court, the Associated Press, and other media organizations should have first challenged the order in the Latah County Magistrate Court, as reported by Fox News. Although, the language of the gag order does correspond to Idaho's rules of professional behavior, officials and attorneys on both sides have declined to respond to nearly all media questions since it was issued, including in regard to subjects they are permitted to discuss.
'Facially overbroad and vague'
Taylor is also fighting an appeal made by the lawyer for one of the victims' family, who described it as "facially overbroad and vague" and unlawful in a court filing last month. The Latah County prosecutor, William Thompson, also favors maintaining the current order, as per reports.
Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, are believed to have been killed by Kohberger. In this case, the judge has issued a gag order. On January 12, Kohberger gave up his right to an urgent preliminary hearing. His hearing will now start on June 26, as MEAWW previously reported.