Defense Raises Concerns About Jury Bias
In a recent hearing, lawyers for Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the University of Idaho murders, argued that their client is innocent and that he cannot receive a fair trial in the county where the crimes occurred. The defense presented data from a survey they conducted, alleging that it showed widespread prejudice against Kohberger within the community.
Defense attorney Elisa Massoth claimed that 81% of survey respondents were aware of an unproven stalking allegation and believed Kohberger was guilty. She also cited statistics indicating that 79% of respondents had knowledge of prejudicial and false media reports.
“These are deeply held opinions in this community, within this jury pool,” Massoth asserted.
Prosecution Challenges Survey’s Validity
However, prosecutor Bill Thompson criticized the defense’s survey, arguing that it was biased and misleading. He alleged that the defense included questions containing false information and that the questions were tailored to elicit a desired response from potential jurors.
Judge Halts Jury Contact
In response to the controversy surrounding the survey, Judge John Judge temporarily barred both sides from contacting potential jurors. He has not yet ruled on whether the survey can resume.
Change of Venue Request
The defense is seeking a change of venue, arguing that it is impossible to impanel an unbiased jury in Latah County. They have suggested alternative counties with larger jury pools.
The court is scheduled to hear arguments on the change of venue request on June 27. Kohberger has a deadline next week to submit an alibi for the night of the murders.
Not Guilty Plea
Kohberger pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment last year. He is facing four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
Data sourced from: foxnews.com
