After months of expert testimonies and deliberations, Latah County Judge John Judge has ruled that the Brian Kohberger trial be moved to another county.
Kohberger’s defense, the court, and the state all agreed that the mainstream and social media coverage of the case has been extensive throughout the country. Evidence presented at the most recent hearing showed many biased and inadmissible pieces of news that showed prejudice against Kohberger if the trial were to stay in Latah County.
One of the Judge’s main concerns was the safety of the potential jurors. With a population of approximately 41,000, Latah County will have a harder time keeping their identities confidential. With the continuous media coverage of the story heavily concentrated in Latah County, the defense argued it would be harder to find an 18-person unbiased jury.
According to court documents, Judge also had to consider the logistics of holding the trial in Moscow. Even with a fully staffed sheriff’s office, it would be nearly impossible to handle the influx of people for the trial and continue day-to-day operations for the town.
Idaho State Police and Moscow Police could help with managing the trial but were heavily involved in the investigation and many officers are anticipated to testify.
Similarly, the number of county clerks needed to perform the task of jury selection of about 6,000 individuals would require more staffing and equipment to be brought in while still handling their daily tasks.
The final logistical problem was the matter of space in the courtroom. The largest courtroom in Latah County can comfortably fit around 12 jurors, not the required 18. There is no secure entrance for the jurors either, who would need to use the public hallway or pass the court chambers to enter and exit the courtroom.
Judge has not announced whether the trial will be moved to Ada County, as the defense requested, or to a different county. He emphasized the need to be in a county with the space and personnel to handle a case of this magnitude without focusing on peripheral issues.
Allyssa Dotson can be reached at [email protected]
Zanna W Swann
Good reporting, Argonaut team. I remember during the very first press conference that the police chief opened asking first for a question from "the student newspaper." I hoped the student media team would keep student safety and justice at the forefront over the years until the bitter end. Keep up the good work.
Peggy K. Schunk
My prayers remain for the families and the Moscow community.