Idaho prosecutors have formally objected to the motion filed by Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students, to change the venue of his trial out of Latah County, where the crimes occurred.
The objection, signed by Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Ingrid Batey, a special assistant attorney general for the state, was made public on Tuesday evening.
In their filing, the prosecutors argued against moving the trial to Ada County, approximately 300 miles away, citing the results of a survey conducted by the defense team among prospective jurors in multiple counties.
They contended that the survey findings did not justify a change of venue, as the case had received widespread media coverage across the state, leading to high case recognition among respondents in all surveyed counties.
The prosecutors also criticized the defense survey, questioning its methodology and the lack of explanation provided to polled residents.
Kohberger's defense team had claimed that their client could not receive a fair trial in Latah County due to extensive pretrial publicity. However, prosecutors raised concerns about moving the trial to a county with similar media saturation.
The suspect is accused of ambushing and killing four University of Idaho students in a house, resulting in the deaths of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, who all sustained multiple wounds from a large knife.
Kohberger, a 29-year-old criminology Ph.D. student from Pennsylvania, was attending Washington State University near the crime scene.
The trial, which could potentially lead to the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted, is expected to commence next year and may last up to 15 weeks.
Notably, the University of Idaho recently announced plans to unveil a memorial installation, the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial, dedicated to the victims of the tragic incident.
This case, marked by its high profile and tragic nature, has seen various legal proceedings conducted behind closed doors, including numerous sealed filings and a restrictive gag order.
While changes of venue are rare, they have occurred in notable cases like the trials of 'cult mom' Lori Vallow and Scott Peterson. The judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger's behalf during his arraignment in May.
