BOISE, Idaho (AP) , An Idaho judge has established the schedule for Bryan Kohberger’s effort to retract his guilty plea in the killings of four University of Idaho students, and is cautioning lawyers on both sides that any new evidence in the matter will be measured against a stringent legal benchmark.
Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler, who imposed four life terms without parole on Kohberger after he pleaded guilty to the murders last year, outlined the procedural framework in a written order issued Wednesday morning.
The judge declined to grant Kohberger an evidentiary hearing on his assertions that his guilty plea should be vacated. In its place, Hippler reserved a date in June of next year in the event he decides such a hearing is justified.
Kohberger, 31, is currently serving four consecutive life sentences for the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen inside a rental house near the University of Idaho’s Moscow campus in 2022. As part of the agreement surrounding his guilty plea, prosecutors opted against pursuing capital punishment.
Last month, Kohberger submitted a handwritten petition requesting that the court allow him to withdraw his plea, alleging that his defense team pressured him into accepting the deal by assuring him of improved prison conditions and warning him about the hardships of death row.
Kohberger provided only limited elaboration, claiming his prior attorneys neglected to disclose or examine evidence that could have bolstered his defense during plea negotiations. He has since been assigned new counsel, Greg Rauch, who indicated he could not offer immediate comment on the proceedings.
In his Wednesday order, Hippler instructed both prosecutors and Kohberger’s legal team to “strictly adhere” to the Idaho Rules of Court Procedure, with particular attention to the provisions governing the admissibility of evidence. The judge further specified the procedure by which either side may challenge evidence deemed inadmissible.
Failure to comply with the court’s order could result in sanctions, Hippler noted in his ruling.
Hippler directed both parties to disclose any potential witnesses, including expert witnesses, by early February. He additionally scheduled a status conference for next June.