The man accused of slaying four University of Idaho students will appear in court for a second time on Thursday. Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology graduate, has yet to enter a plea and is waiting to hear if prosecutors will pursue the death penalty should be found guilty of the crime that has rocked America. His appearance in the courtroom comes just one day after fear-stricken students returned to campus for the new semester.
Kohberger will appear in court on Thursday for a status conference, where a magistrate judge will discuss scheduling with his attorney and the prosecutor.
Sometimes decisions will be made at status conferences that change the trajectory of the case — for instance, a defendant could waive their right to a speedy trial or agree to skip the preliminary hearing — but more often the conferences are about things like agreeing on future court dates, discussing how many days each side will need to present testimony, or making sure both sides have access to any evidence they need.
Nearly two months after the four students were killed near campus – and two weeks after Kohberger was arrested and charged with the crime – students returned to the school grounds on Wednesday for their first day of classes after winter break.
University spokesperson Jodi Walker said: “The students are back and enrollments are looking good.
“I think everybody’s happy to be back under the circumstances. They’re relieved that an arrest has been made, and ready to focus on the semester.”
Kohberger, a PhD student studying at nearby Washington State University, has been charged with brutally stabbing Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, in their off-campus home on November 13.
Almost seven weeks passed while police pieced together the evidence, eventually arresting Koberger at his parents’ home in eastern Pennsylvania. He was extradited to Idaho last week.
The Latah County Jail, where Kohberger is being held without bond, is about a 20-minute walk from campus.
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His court appearance Thursday comes one day after students returned to campus. Some fearful students are likely to have stayed at home while the trial is ongoing, but it’s too early to tell exactly how many students decided to return to in-person classes, Walker said.
“It looked a fair amount more crowded than I’ve seen it, especially toward the end of last semester,” she said.
Walker said that students will have the chance to sign up for a series of extracurricular self-defence classes and various violence prevention and safety planning programs. There is also additional security on campus, as well as ongoing counselling and other support services for students.
But it feels like the students have rallied and are determined to succeed despite the horrific circumstances of the last semester, Walker said.
Kohberger’s next court appearance could be a preliminary hearing, when Prosecutor Bill Thompson will be expected to show the magistrate judge that he has enough evidence to justify moving forward with the felony charges.
If the magistrate judge agrees, the case will be “bound over” into Idaho’s 2nd District Court, and a district judge will take over the felony case. Then Kohberger will have a chance to enter a plea to the charges.
If he pleads not guilty, the case will begin working toward a trial. If he pleads guilty, a sentencing hearing will be set.
The prosecutor has not yet said if he will seek the death penalty in Kohberger’s case. If Thompson decides to seek the death penalty, he has to file a formal notice with the court no later than 60 days after Kohberger enters a plea.
A magistrate judge has also issued a gag order barring the attorneys and any agencies involved from talking about the case.
