Idaho murders suspect "deserves to die," victim's mom says after hearing

Attorneys for a man charged successful nan stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho students asked a judge to return nan decease punishment disconnected nan array Thursday, arguing that international, national and authorities rule each make it inappropriate for nan case. But a victim's mother who attended nan proceeding said nan fishy "deserves to die."

Bryan Kohberger is accused of nan Nov. 13, 2022, killings of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Investigators said they were capable to nexus Kohberger - past a postgraduate student astatine adjacent Washington State University - to nan crime from DNA recovered connected a weapon sheath astatine nan scene, surveillance videos and cellphone data.

When asked to participate a plea past year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to participate a not blameworthy plea connected his behalf. Prosecutors person said they will activity nan decease punishment if he is convicted. In September, Kohberger was booked into jailhouse successful Boise, wherever his trial was moved the week before.

During a pre-trial mobility hearing, Kohberger's defense squad made a wide scope of arguments against nan decease penalty, saying successful portion that it does not fresh today's standards of decency, that it is sadistic to make condemned inmates beryllium for decades connected decease statement awaiting execution and that it violates an world pact prohibiting nan torture of prisoners.

Bryan Kohberger listens during a proceeding to overturn his expansive assemblage indictment connected October 26, 2023, successful Moscow, Idaho. Kai Eiselein / Getty Images

But 4th District Judge Stephen Hippler questioned galore of those claims, saying that nan world pact they referenced was focused connected ensuring that prisoners are fixed owed process truthful they are not convicted and executed without a adjacent trial.

Prosecutors noted that nan Idaho Supreme Court has already considered galore of those arguments successful different superior cases and allowed nan decease punishment to stand.

Still, by bringing up nan issues during nan mobility hearing, Kohberger's defense squad took nan first measurement toward preserving their ineligible arguments successful nan tribunal record, perchance allowing them to raise them again connected appeal.

The judge said he would rumor a written ruling connected nan motions later.

Victim's parents be hearing

Kristi and Steve Goncalves, nan parents of Kaylee Goncalves, attended nan hearing. Afterward they said nan specifications of nan lawsuit show nan decease punishment is merited.

"You've sewage 4 victims, each successful 1 location - that's much than enough," Steve Goncalves said.

Kristi Goncalves said she talked to nan coroner and knows what happened to her daughter.

"If he did thing for illustration he did to our girl to nan others, past he deserves to die," she said.

Steve Goncalves told "48 Hours" last twelvemonth that "there's grounds to show that she awakened and tried to get retired of that situation," saying "she was trapped" based connected nan measurement nan furniture was group up.

Kaylee Goncalves Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram

Kohberger's attorneys person said he was retired for a thrust nan nighttime of nan killings, thing he often did to look astatine nan sky.

His proceedings is scheduled to begin adjacent August and is expected to past up to 3 months. The Goncalves family said they person rented a location successful Boise truthful they tin attend.

Goncalves' family said successful nan outpouring that they were disappointment by really agelong it has taken nan lawsuit to advancement done nan judicial system.

"This lawsuit is turning into a hamster instrumentality of motions, hearings, and delayed decisions," nan family said successful a statement.

In:
• University of Idaho
• Bryan Kohberger
• Murder