Bryan Kohberger's legal team has requested the disqualification of the judge overseeing his post-conviction relief efforts, alleging that prior statements made by the judge undermine impartiality. Kohberger, convicted of the murders of four University of Idaho students, is seeking to retract his guilty plea.
Greg Rauch, Kohberger's new attorney, has taken issue with Judge Steven Hippler's characterization of his client as a "faceless coward." The motion argues that such statements, made during Kohberger's sentencing last July, create an appearance of bias. Hippler sentenced Kohberger to life without parole after he pleaded guilty to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at their Moscow, Idaho, home in 2022. This plea deal allowed Kohberger to avoid the death penalty.
The motion contends that the impartiality of the proceedings could be questioned by a reasonable observer, especially since Hippler, who presided over the criminal trial, is also assigned to the post-conviction hearing. Kohberger is seeking a "neutral forum for adjudicating claims that may implicate his former counsel's performance, his own credibility, and the constitutional validity of the proceeding that resulted in his conviction and sentences."
In a written order Wednesday, Judge Hippler did not grant Kohberger an immediate hearing on his claims for withdrawing the guilty plea. Instead, he scheduled a date for next June to determine if an evidentiary hearing is warranted. Hippler instructed both the prosecution and Kohberger's defense to strictly adhere to Idaho Rules of Court Procedure regarding admissible evidence and warned of potential sanctions for non-compliance. Both parties are also required to disclose any potential witnesses, including experts, by early February, with a status conference set for June.
Kohberger filed a separate petition for post-conviction relief, a process allowed under Idaho law that differs from a standard appeal. If successful, this petition could permit him to withdraw his guilty plea and reopen the case to a potential trial, which could reintroduce the possibility of the death penalty.
Kohberger stated in a message to The New York Times, "My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn." This legal move comes shortly before the release of a new Netflix documentary series, "The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare."
The families of the victims have expressed distress over Kohberger's attempts to challenge his conviction. Alivea Goncalves, sister of victim Kaylee Goncalves, stated that the ability of someone incarcerated to "revictimize their victims" is difficult to overcome, adding, "This will never be over for us until the defendant is no longer breathing on this earth." Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee, has consistently advocated for a trial, viewing the life sentences as insufficient.
Aubrie Goncalves, Kaylee's youngest sister, voiced her anger on social media, stating, "For him, this may be another legal filing. For me, it's another day without my sister. Why should the person convicted of taking their voices continue to have one?" She emphasized that the case is not entertainment but a reality that forces families to relive trauma with each new legal development.