An Idaho judge has established the timeline for Bryan Kohberger’s effort to retract his guilty plea in the murders of four University of Idaho students. He also cautions attorneys on both sides that any new evidence must meet a strict legal standard.
Judge Steven Hippler, part of the Fourth District, sentenced Kohberger to life in prison without parole after his guilty plea last year. He outlined the case proceedings in a written order released on Wednesday morning.
Hippler did not grant Kohberger a hearing immediately based on his claims to withdraw the plea. A date next June is set if an evidentiary hearing proves necessary.
Kohberger, aged 31, is serving four consecutive life sentences for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen. The killings occurred in a rented house near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow in 2022. In his plea deal, the prosecution agreed not to seek the death penalty.
Last month, Kohberger submitted a handwritten petition to retract his plea. He claims his attorneys coerced him into the agreement with promises of improved prison conditions and painted a grim picture of life on death row.
Kohberger provided limited details, asserting his former attorneys failed to reveal or review potentially helpful evidence during plea discussions. He now has a new legal representative, Greg Rauch, who has yet to comment on the case.
In the order, Judge Hippler emphasized the necessity for both sides to strictly follow the Idaho Rules of Court Procedure. This includes regulations on what evidence is admissible in court.
Any parties failing to comply with the court’s directive may face sanctions, as Hippler stated. The judge instructed both prosecution and defense to disclose potential witnesses, including experts, by early February and set a status conference for next June.