Defense asks judge to ban death penalty for man accused of stabbing four Idaho students to death

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Lawyers for a man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death asked a judge Thursday to take the death penalty off the table, arguing that international, federal and state laws make that punishment inappropriate for the case.

Bryan Kohberger He is accused of the November 13, 2022 murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves. Investigators said they were able to contact Kohberger. graduate student at nearby Washington State University — from DNA found on a knife sheath at the scene, surveillance video and cell phone data to the crime.

When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger remained silent and had the judge enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors announced that they would seek the death penalty if found guilty.

During the pretrial motion hearing, Kohberger’s defense team presented a wide range of arguments against the death penalty; He said in part that this punishment did not meet today’s moral standards and that keeping convicted prisoners on death row for decades was cruel. that the execution violated an international agreement prohibiting the torture of prisoners.

But 4th District Judge Stephen Hippler questioned many of those claims, saying the international agreement they referenced focused on ensuring that prisoners were given due process so they were not convicted and executed without a fair trial.

Prosecutors noted that the Idaho Supreme Court had already considered many of these arguments in other death penalty cases and allowed the death penalty to remain in effect.

Still, by raising the issues during the motions hearing, Kohberger’s defense team took the first step toward preserving their legal arguments in the court record, potentially allowing them to raise them again on appeal.

The judge said he would make a written decision regarding the requests later.

Kaylee Goncalves’ parents, Kristi and Steve Goncalves, attended the hearing. They later said the details of the case showed that the death penalty was deserved.

“Four victims in one house, that’s more than enough,” Steve Goncalves said.

Kristi Goncalves said she spoke with the medical examiner and knows what happened to her daughter.

“If he did the same thing to others as he did to our daughter, then he deserves to die,” he said.

Kohberger’s lawyers said that on the night of the murders, he frequently took walks to look at the sky.

His trial is scheduled to begin next August and is expected to last up to three months. The Goncalves family said they rented a house in Boise so they could attend.

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