The legal team for Bryan Kohberger filed a memorandum supporting a change of venue for the trial from Latah County to Ada County. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022.
In the memo, Kohberger's attorneys wrote he is protected under the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Idaho, and his protection to a "fair and impartial jury is infringed without a change of venue." His attorneys went on to write that a fair and impartial jury can't be found in Latah County because of the ongoing publicity.
Media coverage of the case started on Nov. 13, 2022 when the four bodies were found in the home on King Street, which has since been demolished. The memo states there was "extensive" media coverage for the six weeks during the police investigation before Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania in late December 2022.
Aside from traditional media, there was coverage in magazines, books, crime tv shows, podcasts and social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok.
"The media focus on Mr. Kohberger has been relentless and highly inflammatory," the attorneys wrote in the memo.
Kohberger's attorneys called the case "extreme" in that the atmosphere in Latah County is "utterly corrupted by press coverage" and requiring the change of venue. Ada County is the largest county in Idaho, and the memo states it has more than ten times as many potential jurors than Latah County. This gives the best chance to find an impartial jury, according to the memo.
The size of the Ada County Courthouse is also a factor, as it has large courtrooms with space for each counsel, exhibits and can accommodate a large number of spectators with the available overflow space.
"Given the level of bias in Latah County, Mr. Kohberger cannot receive a fair trial," wrote the attorneys in the memo. "An impartial jury in this community cannot be picked. The court must protect Mr. Kohberger's Constitutional Rights and grant a change of venue."
Multiple press releases from the Moscow Police Department providing updates on the investigation and the initial coroner report releasing the identities of the victims were included in the memo.
The murder trial is set to begin on June 2, 2025 and is expected to last three months. Prosecutors have announced their intent to seek the death penalty against Kohberger.
