Judge Threatens Courtroom Ban Over Family Clashes in Quadruple Murder Trial

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has threatened to ban spectators from the courtroom in the quadruple murder case of Fraser Bohm due to escalating clashes between the families of the victims and the accused.

Judge Thomas Rubinson stated Thursday in Van Nuys that he had become aware of "inappropriate" confrontations involving "threats, four-letter words…and intimidation" occurring in court hallways, elevators, and parking areas. He warned, "It's not ok to be acting in a way that belongs in a junior high school yard - I want it to stop." He emphasized the need for decorum, adding, "If you are involved in doing this, cut it out. I'm not going to tolerate it."

Bohm, 24, is accused of killing four Pepperdine University sorority sisters in October 2023 when his car crashed into them on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. His supporters have consistently occupied one side of the courtroom, while the family and friends of the victims have filled the other.

At Thursday's hearing, Judge Rubinson granted a motion from Bohm's defense attorneys to exclude three statistical studies from trial. These studies concluded that the likelihood of a pedestrian surviving a 100 mph collision is virtually zero. The defense argued the statistics were "irrelevant, confusing, and too complicated" for a jury.

"I'm not going to permit these statistics. There is evidence of some relevance but the risk of confusing the jury is very high," the judge stated.

Last month, the judge denied a defense attempt to suppress statements Bohm made to police after the crash. Bohm's attorneys had argued that their client was interrogated for hours without Miranda rights and that the questioning was confrontational. Judge Rubinson, however, cited the "extraordinary circumstances" of the accident and ruled that deputies were entitled to ask Bohm about his speed, alcohol or drug use, or phone activity prior to the crash. He stated Bohm was detained but not in custody for Miranda purposes, and was aware of his surroundings.

Bohm, who was 22 at the time of the accident, pleaded not guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The crash killed Pepperdine students Niamh Rolston, 20; Asha Weir, 21; Peyton Stewart, 21; and Deslyn Williams, 21. Prosecutors allege that at the time of the crash, Bohm was traveling between 93 mph and 104 mph, despite the speed limit being 45 mph.

Bohm's jury trial, originally scheduled for September, was postponed to December 1. This delay was requested by the defense to address a new prosecution theory involving a "giant canister of nitrous oxide" found in Bohm's car. While the defense suggested this implied Bohm was inhaling the gas, the prosecution stated they only intend to argue that its possession was a distraction.

The grieving parents of the four victims are pursuing wrongful death civil lawsuits against Bohm and also suing the State of California, LA County, the City of Malibu, and the California Coastal Commission, alleging dangerous road design and a lack of safety standards on PCH. The four women were seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts and members of the Alpha Phi Sorority. They were posthumously awarded their degrees.