The 28-year-old man on trial for the murders of four students at the University of Idaho has requested that cameras be banned from the courtroom.
Local media reported this week that Bryan Kohberger had filed a motion to prevent cameras from being present at his next pre-trial hearings and trial. He said that coverage had become fodder for broadcasters and social media users to espouse their baseless opinions.
Kohberger said that others have tried to figure out his demeanor by analyzing his body language and characterizing him as cold and icy on TikTok videos, social media comments, and podcasts. He elaborated on how ‘experts’ had analyzed his body language and supplied papers that he claimed debunked the approach.
Kohberger went on to say that permitting cameras in courtrooms might alter the behavior of witnesses and defendants and that the additional duties on the trial judge posed by such devices could detract from the judge’s ability to preside fairly.
The issue will be presented to a judge for arguments at the week’s close.
Some news organizations claim that the First Amendment protects recordings made in the courtroom. They argue that this practice improves the quality of the fact-finding process and protects the credibility of the proceedings, benefiting both the accused and society.
Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. candidate at a local institution, has been incarcerated since his arrest in December for the November 13 homicides that shook the typically tranquil community of Moscow, Idaho.
According to authorities, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen were all shot and killed early Sunday morning. The victims were in their early 20s at the time of their murders.
Kohberger shared his experiences with a lack of feeling and regret, dissociation, and suicidal ideation, online when he was a teen.
He became fascinated with criminals and even told an acquaintance that he planned to work with notorious criminals one day. He received a bachelor’s degree in 2020 and a master’s in June of 2022, both from DeSales University.
