Idaho Judge Lifts Gag Order in Kohberger Murder Case
Public’s Right to Information Prioritized After Guilty Plea
An Idaho judge has lifted a strict gag order in the quadruple murder case involving Bryan Kohberger. The decision came after Kohberger pleaded guilty earlier this month to the killings of four University of Idaho students, negating the need for a jury trial.
First Amendment Rights Upheld
Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler agreed to remove the order, stating that its primary goal—seating an impartial jury—is no longer relevant. He emphasized that public access to information is paramount.
“The primary purpose of the non-dissemination order, which is to ensure that we can seat an impartial jury, is no longer at play.”
—Judge Steven Hippler
Kohberger admitted to breaking into the students’ rental home and fatally stabbing them in 2022. Prosecutors allege he meticulously planned the attacks, leveraging his criminal justice studies to evade detection.
Media Coalition’s Push for Transparency
A group of news organizations, including The Associated Press, had petitioned the court to lift the gag order following Kohberger‘s guilty plea. They also requested the unsealing of numerous documents related to the case.
“The media frenzy, as it’s been described, will continue regardless. Lifting the non-dissemination order does not require the counsel or others previously bound by it to speak.”
—Judge Steven Hippler
While Kohberger‘s defense team argued that lifting the order could disrupt the sentencing process, Judge Hippler countered that such coverage is inevitable. He indicated that the process of reviewing sealed documents for public release would commence only after sentencing is complete.
The original gag order was issued early in the investigation by a Moscow, Idaho, judge, aiming to protect Kohberger‘s right to a fair trial amidst extensive publicity. The U.S. has seen a significant increase in criminal court proceedings being broadcast or livestreamed, with approximately 89% of state criminal courts allowing some form of media coverage according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’s 2023 survey.