Judge Denies Bryan Kohberger’s Motions to Exclude Key DNA Evidence
An Idaho judge denied several defense motions filed by Bryan Kohberger’s defense team to suppress key DNA and other evidence that named him the suspect in the 2022 murders of four students near the University of Idaho.
Judge’s Rulings
In a major blow to Kohberger’s defense, Ada County Judge Steven Hippler issued multiple new rulings on Wednesday that will allow for cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, Kohberger’s past Amazon purchases, and DNA evidence to be used in trial.
Key Evidence
A big win for prosecutors was the judge’s move to allow DNA evidence found on the button of a knife sheath left near the body of two victims at the murder scene.
Investigators had run the DNA sample through public ancestry websites to build a list of possible suspects.
Investigation
Authorities learned Kohberger had driven from Pullman, Washington, to his parents’ home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement conducted a trash pull there and obtained DNA that tied Kohberger to the knife sheath. That DNA later proved to be a statistical match to a swab taken from Kohberger’s cheek taken in 2022.
Defense Arguments
The defense had argued that law enforcement violated Kohberger’s constitutional rights by failing to secure a warrant before conducting the investigative genetic genealogy and before the trash pull.
Judge’s Ruling
The judge found that there was no constitutional violation as Kohberger allegedly “exposed his DNA to the public by leaving it on the sheath, thus forfeiting any reasonable expectation of privacy in the DNA left behind” and “there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in DNA found at a crime scene which is subsequently analyzed to identify an unknown suspect.”
Other Rulings
In another filing, Hippler denied the defense’s motion for a Franks hearing, which is when the defense challenges the validity of information used by law enforcement to obtain a search warrant.
The defense claimed law enforcement “intentionally or recklessly misrepresented material facts in their probable cause affidavits for search warrant applications.”
Conclusion
The judge’s rulings are a significant setback for Kohberger’s defense and a major victory for the prosecution. The evidence that will be allowed in trial could play a crucial role in the case.
FAQs
* What is the evidence that was allowed in trial?
+ DNA evidence found on the button of a knife sheath, cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, Kohberger’s past Amazon purchases, and DNA evidence
* What was the defense’s argument?
+ The defense argued that law enforcement violated Kohberger’s constitutional rights by failing to secure a warrant before conducting the investigative genetic genealogy and before the trash pull
* What was the judge’s ruling?
+ The judge found that there was no constitutional violation and allowed the evidence to be used in trial
