Bryan Kohberger case: Attorney says judge cannot let murder trial become 'circus' by allowing cameras

MOSCOW, IDAHO: A potential summer trial date is being considered for the high-profile case involving the murders of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (both 22), Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin (both 21). 

For context, Bryan Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder. 

The victims were discovered stabbed to death in their second and third-floor rooms in their off-campus home on King Road in Moscow, Idaho, in the early hours of November 13, 2022. 

Although Kohberger's trial was initially scheduled to commence in October, it was indefinitely postponed after he waived his right to a speedy trial a month before. 

Presently, prosecutors are proposing to start the trial next summer to avoid conflicting with local high school and college schedules.

New stations file court documents amid Brayn Kohberger's case

Court documents have been filed by news stations, seeking permission to videotape any upcoming proceedings related to Kohberger. 

This motion has been rejected by Judge John Judge, who cited the defendant's right to a fair trial. Nevertheless, Judge announced that the court would implement a live stream using its own cameras. 

The live stream will be accessible on the court's YouTube channel, providing the public with the opportunity to observe the proceedings.

What did defense attorney Mark Ne Jame say?

Mark NeJame, a legal expert and defense attorney at NeJame Law in Florida, cautioned that the presence of cameras in the courtroom might influence a juror seeking fleeting moments of fame.

According to the US Sun NeJame claimed, "What it can do, and we've seen it in some cases, particularly in this media-driven culture that we're in, who have been in high-profile cases and it's affected their [jurors] decisions, so they can sell their story or get on TV," 

He claimed it as unusual, "So that can happen that way, where it might influence a juror who is looking for their 15 seconds of fame. It's not unusual. It's going to happen with greater frequency, the more the media is willing to pay people, and more people want to be on TV." 

He further added, "There's going to be a huge public discourse on this [about Kohberger's trial potentially being live streamed], people are going to be debating, and sometimes this makes celebrities out of the court participants."

NeJame advises Judge to firmly wield the gavel and maintain order in the courtroom during all upcoming proceedings.

NeJame said, "Hopefully, there's a strong judge who respects the fact that he or she has allowed cameras and that people have the right to know, but will also not let it turn into a three ring circus,"

Kohberger, who has entered a plea of not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder, is presently incarcerated without bond at the Latah County Jail, located less than two miles from the site of the murders.

If convicted, he could potentially face the death penalty.