In a bid to substantiate the alibi of Bryan Kohberger, a 29-year-old criminology PhD student accused of a gruesome quadruple murder in Idaho, his defense attorneys are seeking access to a cache of crucial evidence, including recently discovered cellphone data.
Kohberger, who is awaiting trial for the November 2022 stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, maintains that he was stargazing in Pullman, approximately eight miles west of the crime scene, at the time of the murders.
The brutal killings, which occurred at an off-campus student residence at 1122 King Road, sent shockwaves through the small college community of Moscow. Kohberger was linked to the murders through DNA evidence, cellphone data, an eyewitness account, and his white Hyundai Elantra. However, his attorney, Anne Taylor, argues that Kohberger was driving around the area south of Pullman, Washington, and west of Moscow, Idaho, including Wawawai Park, to hike, run, and observe the moon and stars, as was his habit.
The defense team contends that not all evidence has been shared by the prosecution for review and has filed multiple motions to compel the state to do so. The prosecution, on the other hand, asserts that they are doing their utmost to share evidence but have been partly hindered by federal rules due to the FBI's involvement in the investigation.
The evidence in question includes dashcam footage, video and audio recordings of a white sedan near the crime scene in Moscow, and lab testing results, which were instrumental in Kohberger's arrest seven weeks after the murders. During a court hearing on May 23, Taylor criticized Moscow Police Detective Lawrence Mowery for only discovering certain cellphone files a day earlier.
Mowery defended the police against allegations of withholding information from the defense, explaining that he was tasked in spring 2023 to analyze phone records using a data visualization program called CASTViz. This information was later presented to a grand jury. He assured that although he did not save his work, the analysis could be quickly recreated.
The hearing also addressed police efforts to gather evidence from Idaho transit cameras and windy.com, a weather site that temporarily displays shots from state transit feeds. Mowery stated that while these feeds were consulted as potential sources of evidence, they yielded nothing of value to the case.
The relevance of the newly discovered data to pinpointing the location of Kohberger's phone at the time of the murders remains uncertain. However, both the defense and the prosecution agree that cellphone pings are crucial to their cases.
The ongoing legal battle over this potentially pivotal evidence is the latest in a series of delays that have postponed the commencement of Kohberger's trial. An investigation by the Idaho Statesman revealed that the case has already cost Idaho taxpayers more than $3.6 million.
The hearing concluded without a ruling on the motion to compel, with further proceedings scheduled for May 30, where DNA experts Leah Larkin and Bicka Barlow will testify for the defense. Another hearing is set for June 27, where arguments will be made regarding the potential relocation of the trial to ensure an impartial jury. The state opposes this move, while the defense supports it.
Kohberger declined to enter a plea in May 2023, leading the judge to enter a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Earlier this year, the Idaho Supreme Court rejected a request from Kohberger to dismiss his grand jury indictment, citing a biased grand jury, inadmissible evidence, and prosecutorial misconduct. If convicted, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty. A trial date has yet to be set.
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