Why has Bryan Kohberger's trial been delayed? Idaho murder suspect waives his right to speedy trial
MOSCOW, IDAHO: The capital murder trial for Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the University of Idaho student homicides, has been delayed indefinitely.
The 28-year-old Washington University student’s trial was scheduled to begin on October 2, but it got postponed after he waived his right to a speedy trial during a court hearing on Wednesday, August 23.
During the hearing, Judge John directly confirmed with Kohberger that he had not been coerced into giving up his right to a speedy trial and that he had made the decision voluntarily, which the defendant affirmed.
The judge did not set a new trial date at the request of Kohberger’s attorney, Anne Taylor, who noted that the defense team could not be prepared to effectively present their case on the previously set trial date of October 2, according to CNN.
When Bryan Kohberger’s trial could possibly start?
Idaho law requires that defendants receive a trial date within six months of indictment, which took place in May in Kohberger’s case.
During the Wednesday hearing, Taylor also stated that the defense is prepared to challenge the grand jury indictment against Kohberger at an upcoming hearing on September 1.
Kohberger is currently facing four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the November 13 killings of students Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, who were found brutally stabbed in their off-campus accommodation.
This development came a week after the Judge ruled that Kohberger’s defense had until September 8 to submit witnesses and other evidence for the accused killer’s alibi.
What was Bryan Kohberger doing on night of Idaho murders?
In a previous hearing, Taylor revealed the alibi in a new motion, which also stated that the suspect was driving on the night when the four Idaho students were killed in their off-campus accommodation.
"Often he would go for drives at night. He did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022," the court document stated.
“Mr Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time. At this time there is not a specific witness to say precisely where Mr Kohberger was at each moment of the hours between late night November 12 and early morning November 13,” the motion continued.
The motion also asserted that "corroboration of Bryan Kohberger NOT being at 1122 King may be brought out through cross-examination of the state’s witnesses. At this time, Mr Kohberger cannot be more specific about the possible witnesses and exactly what they will say."
The defense has so far focused on scrutinizing the process through which detectives identified Kohberger as a suspect, according to Daily Mail.
Investigators reportedly zeroed in on Kohberger as a suspect after tracking his white Hyundai Elantra, examining his cell data, and recovering his DNA on a knife sheath found next to one of the victims' bodies.
Police say DNA found on a knife sheath left at the Idaho murder scene is a "statistical match" to a cheek swab taken from the suspect after his arrest.