Kohberger stands silent at arraignment, Judge John Judge enters not guilty plea and schedules trial

Bryan Kohberger, the accused killer of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, and Madison Mogen, stood silent at his arraignment in court on Monday. By standing silent, Judge John Judge was forced to enter a “not guilty” plea on all five charges. This comes after Kohberger was indicted on May 15 with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.   

His trial has been scheduled for Oct. 2, 2023, one week before the University of Idaho’s homecoming. The trial is scheduled to take six weeks. Kohberger is facing either four consecutive life sentences, or the death penalty. State prosecutors will have 60 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty in this case.   

A media coalition lawyer and the Goncalves family’s lawyer also appeared in court on Monday with the motion to lift or amend the gag order-imposed Latah County Court Judge Megan Marshall back in January. Since then, Marshall has been replaced By Judge John Judge, who presided over Monday’s hearings. The media coalition filed the motion to lift the gag order because they say it violates the First Amendment. Meanwhile, the Goncalves’ lawyer wants the gag order amended so that families of victims are not left in the dark.   

The Judge seemed sympathetic to the Goncalves’ lawyer, but stern with the media coalition lawyer, stating “The Associated Press should tone it down.” The Judge is concerned that “irreparable harm” could be done to the case if the media reports details before the trial, violating the Sixth Amendment and giving Kohberger an unfair trial.   

There will be two separate hearings regarding the gag order on June 9, one for the media coalition, and one for the Goncalves family. Both parties are required to submit a brief on whether cameras can be present for their hearing by June 2.  

Kohberger’s defense, a Kootenai county public defender named Anne Taylor, also filed a motion of discovery. This would make prosecutors reveal any evidence not yet presented to the defense before the trial. The hearing for the motion of discovery is scheduled for June 27. 

Ben DeWitt can be reached at [email protected]