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3d ago

Judge Rules Bryan Kohberger Eligible for Death Penalty Despite Autism Diagnosis

Prosecutors can seek the death penalty in the August trial for the 2022 University of Idaho student murders, as the court finds autism does not meet exemption criteria.

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FILE - Bryan Kohberger, accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, is escorted into court for a hearing in Latah County District Court, Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Overview

  • Judge Steven Hippler ruled that Bryan Kohberger’s autism spectrum disorder does not disqualify him from facing the death penalty under U.S. Supreme Court precedent.
  • Kohberger is charged with the 2022 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
  • The court determined that autism may be considered as a mitigating factor but does not meet the legal definition of an intellectual disability required for exemption from capital punishment.
  • Prosecutors have been approved to use most of a 911 call and related text messages from surviving roommates as evidence in the upcoming trial.
  • Kohberger’s trial is set to begin on August 11, 2025, in Boise, Idaho, and is expected to last several months.