4 Univ of Idaho Students Murdered - Bryan Kohberger Arrested - Moscow # 72

[WingsOverTX]

How very passive-voice. You'd think someone, somewhere, might have written something down in a circumstance regarding hiring somebody, even if only an email to say, "not that guy, no way, lol. drinks tonight?" No? Oh well. We can't all be record keepers.

Because public funding is involved, there is definitely a record of who was hired. Ergo, some documentation about the selection process & evaluation of his candidacy.

IMO they just don't want to release it.

 

[al66pine]

Documentation re PPD's Internship Offer/Non-Offer to BK???

Police have ‘no record’ of whether Bryan Kohberger was offered internship position

The Independent filed a public records request with the Pullman Police Department earlier this year

www.independent.co.uk

The Washinton state police department that interviewed Bryan Kohberger for an internship months before the Idaho murders has “no documentation” regarding whether he was offered the position.
“The Pullman Police Department does not have any documentation regarding whether or not Mr. Kohberger was chosen for the internship position,” the officer stated in an email.

​

Snipped for focus.
Thanks @gliving for the quote w link.

Does anyone wonder if PPD's response should have stated:
"The Pullman Police Department NO LONGER HAS any documentation regarding whether or not Mr. Kohberger was chosen for the internship position." (capped by me)

Just allowing for less than perfect recordkeeping, as happens from time to time w. individuals, businesses, and municipal, state, and fed agencies. Not trying to cast aspersions.

[ETA: Did not read entire article, which was register-walled. (Yes, I know not pay-walled)]

 

[WingsOverTX]

Documentation re PPD's Internship Offer/Non-Offer to BK???
Snipped for focus.
Thanks @gliving for the quote w link.

Does anyone wonder if PPD's response should have stated:
"The Pullman Police Department NO LONGER HAS any documentation regarding whether or not Mr. Kohberger was chosen for the internship position." (capped by me)

Just allowing for less than perfect recordkeeping, as happens from time to time w. individuals, businesses, and municipal, state, and fed agencies. Not trying to cast aspersions.

[ETA: Did not read entire article, which was register-walled. (Yes, I know not pay-walled)]

If they want to be guilty of malfeasance of public funds, they could do that if it is the truth.

If the court or prosecution (or defense) wants to see the records documenting all decisions & contacts with candidate, they will be produced in whole.

And "suddenly" the truth will be revealed.

JMO

 

[PrairieWind]

I don't know what the 3 other families want. I do not know if the prosecution team will consider what they want as far as charging BK with the DP. I assume they take the family's feelings into account.

I do know that when a defendant is indicted under the death penalty, but wants to plead guilty to avoid the DP, that the families are immediately called to a meeting to discus it.

They are told that the defendant wants to plead guilty to murdering their loved one in exchange for the DP being dropped. The family or families then tell the prosecution team how they feel about that.

Yep. The prosecutor would/should consult with victim/families regarding the death penalty and plea deals to get their wishes and input. But the prosecutor is the one that will decide. He represents the state, not the victims and/or families.

 

[gliving]

Documentation re PPD's Internship Offer/Non-Offer to BK???
Snipped for focus.
Thanks @gliving for the quote w link.

Does anyone wonder if PPD's response should have stated:
"The Pullman Police Department NO LONGER HAS any documentation regarding whether or not Mr. Kohberger was chosen for the internship position." (capped by me)

Just allowing for less than perfect recordkeeping, as happens from time to time w. individuals, businesses, and municipal, state, and fed agencies. Not trying to cast aspersions.

[ETA: Did not read entire article, which was register-walled. (Yes, I know not pay-walled)]

IKR One would think the interview panel could delve into it to find something. Obviously someone made a choice. It's part of the arrest affidavit so it must be of some importance.

"Pursuant to records provided by a member of the interview panel for Pullman Police Department we learned that Kohberger's past education included undergraduate degrees in psychology and cloud-based forensics. These records also showed Kohberger wrote an essay when he applied for an internship with the Pullman Police Department in the fall of 2022. Kohberger wrote in his essay he had interest in assisting rural law enforcement agencies with how to better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations."

Read the affidavit on how investigators identified the Idaho killings suspect | CNN

Idaho officials have publicly released court documents -- including a probably cause affidavit -- in prosecutors' case against Bryan Kohberger, who faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the killings of four University of Idaho undergraduate students.

www.cnn.com

 

[DizzyB]

This kind of stuff has been floating around since the day of the murder. So it makes me wonder if NewsNation has an actual source or if they are just digging through old Reddit comments between 11/13 - 11/21 (and calling it a source). Sort of like the DailyMail story on Xana's sister in law. Of course the DailyMail was completely transparent about where they got their information from.

So much has been floating around since day one. Some of it has ultimately been correct, including a roommate seeing a masked man dressed in black outside a door. The assumption at the time was that the surviving roommates were together on the first floor.

Supposedly Banfield will share exactly who made the 911 call (or from whose phone it was made), on tonight’s show.

 

[I'm Nobody]

Re: Death Penalty statements from parents:

NO from Xana Kernodle's Mom: The mother of one of the University of Idaho stabbing victims says she wants suspect Bryan Kohberger to “pay for what he’s done,” but she doesn’t believe in the death penalty. “That’s not who I am. I don’t believe in (the death penalty), but I do think that he should spend the rest of his days in prison,” Cara Northington, mother of Xana Kernodle, said during an appearance on “Banfield” Thursday night.

YES from Kaylee Goncalves' parents: Steve and Kristi Goncalves opened up again about the case in an interview with NewsNation and revealed that justice, to them, means the death penalty for the 28-year-old criminology doctoral student accused of killing their daughter and three other students.

Nothing absolute found from parents of Chapin or Mogen. Please post if you found newer info.
Ethan Chapin's mom says the family is still trying to process their new normal. In a Facebook post, Stacy Chapin says they spend no time being angry, adding it's energy not well spent and it still wouldn't change the outcome.

Madison Mogen father: Ben Mogen says he has been going through life "one day at a time." It's all he can do.

Grief changes hearts and brains; death penalty perspectives may change by the time of the trial.
Prayers up.

Idaho victim’s mom wants justice, but against death penalty

Cara Northington, the mother of Xana Kernodle, says she doesn’t believe in the death penalty.

www.newsnationnow.com

Parents of slain Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves want death penalty for accused killer Bryan Kohberger

If convicted on any of the four murder charges, Kohberger could face up to life in prison or death.

nypost.com

Mother of Ethan Chapin shares update on family two months after losing son

A scholarship in Ethan's name has already raised more than $100,000.

www.krem.com

Idaho murders: Father of victim Maddie Mogen says surviving grief comes 'one day at a time'

"It's too painful," he said. "As far as reading or watching (the news), I can't really do it."

abc7ny.com

 

[10ofRods]

They don't have to disprove them. They just have to introduce doubt. And with touch transfer DNA there's plenty of scientific 'doubt' to introduce. IMO. There are plenty of published research papers to back this doubt.

Besides scientific doubt, the defense will likely challenge the two survivors on whether or not they personally knew every single person that ever attended one of their parties. And if any parties were thrown without them being present. They'll never have to explicitly state that BK attended a party. Just imply.

Without the cellular and video from the PCA (and other pieces of evidence coming) I'd say that they had a sliver of a chance of introducing doubt on the DNA evidence alone. But the story that the totality of the evidence (thus far) tells makes the DNA the cherry on top and eliminates most of the criticisms of touch/transfer DNA.

We are talking astronomic levels of coincidences here.

I'm not talking about trial.

I'm speaking of lab work. And yes, it does have to be "proved" in the DNA lab. No forensic specialist is going to give anything other than a clear finding. Right now, we hear that it is BK's DNA on the sheath.

That can be tested - but it cannot take place in the actual courtroom, as the technology cannot be transported to court. Therefore, the test has to be run in a lab.

What usually happens is that the defense sends its own forensic geneticist to either pick up some of the material (thereby destroying part of the sheath) or to observe while the lab does the results.

The results are not subject to legal proof/disproof at that point, IMO. Lawyers cannot look at the results and say, "Those aren't correct" because we're talking millions of base pairs analyzed by both human and computer, using internationally standardized equipment.

Science has its own proofs, Whether the lawyers want the data from that testing to be submitted is up to the lawyers. The prosecution has already decided to use the results in court. If the defense's geneticist can disprove that, then it won't go into evidence at all. But I actually know of no cases where that's happened.

Sorry to have been confusing - I was speaking of scientific proof of the 1) existence of human DNA on the sheath and 2) the identity garnered from that DNA by analyzing millions of base pairs.

"Scientific doubt" introduced into the lab is not a thing. I was speaking only of the lab results. Sorry for the confusion.

IME, IMO.

 

[10ofRods]

The way plea deals work in death penalty murder cases 99% of the time, is the defendant pleads guilty to the murder or murders, called aggravated murders, and then the prosecution drops the death penalty in exchange for LWOP.

Plea deals are considered an exchange. You plead guilty in exchange for getting the DP dropped, or in other cases, to get some charges dropped or get a lesser charge or lesser sentence.

When you do a plea deal you lose your right to appeal because you are pleading guilty.

A death penalty attorney's main job is to keep their client off of death row. When the evidence is overwhelming against their client they will advise their client of the possibility of being convicted.

If convicted, the DP defendant then must go through a penalty phase trial where the jury decides between a life sentence or a death sentence.

The first trial is the guilt phase trial where the jury decides to convict or acquit.

If BK pleads guilty to avoid the DP there is no jury for that. The judge will then sentence him at a later hearing.

Even if BK wants to plead guilty to avoid the DP, the prosecution does not have to accept this. The prosecution can say no, we are taking you to trial, the families want the DP.

Yes, I agree, and have seen many of them.

However, if the death penalty is not on the table, no need for BK to negotiate right?

What does he have to exchange?

And, what if the public and the families want the DP and BK doesn't seem to care one way or the other>


I know about phases of trials. Can you answer my question about whether a penalty phase trial is needed if he pleads guilty to first degree murder? I know the DA can drop the DP in exchange, but my question is whether there is another process by which the DP could be removed from the table OR if the DA insists on the DP, does it not go, at least, to a judge? What's the process?

I am only interested (right now) in the question of the DP. I'm fully aware that if it's not a DP case that he could enter a guilty plea to Murder 1 (X 4 people) and avoid the DP. But IF the DP is sought, what then? What if the DA won't budge?

That's my question. Not about the negotiations, but about the legal proceedings.

TIA. JMO.

 

[10ofRods]

So much has been floating around since day one. Some of it has ultimately been correct, including a roommate seeing a masked man dressed in black outside a door. The assumption at the time was that the surviving roommates were together on the first floor.

Supposedly Banfield will share exactly who made the 911 call (or from whose phone it was made), on tonight’s show.

Well, that's exciting. I hope Banfield actually follows through - but they will probably spend an hour getting there.

I think we heard early on that the caller passed their phone to someone else (IIRC; IMO). Now we can learn whose phone was actually used. I don't recall the Man in Black part, but I'm not surprised. I don't know if Banfield will reliably reveal whose fingers tapped the number, though. I hope so.

MOO.

 

[Ghostwheel]

With the recent conversations here, now I would like to know: Assuming BK is the killer and if BK pleads guilty in exchange for LWOP, does he have to tell how it was done? Can he just say "Guilty" and never state why he did it, or the process he took or where he left anything that hasn't been found? Could any of that information be part of any "deal" for LWOP? Just wondering.

 

[acutename]

How very passive-voice. You'd think someone, somewhere, might have written something down in a circumstance regarding hiring somebody, even if only an email to say, "not that guy, no way, lol. drinks tonight?" No? Oh well. We can't all be record keepers.

just says that they do not have them; not that they do not exist IMO

 

[acutename]

With the recent conversations here, now I would like to know: Assuming BK is the killer and if BK pleads guilty in exchange for LWOP, does he have to tell how it was done? Can he just say "Guilty" and never state why he did it, or the process he took or where he left anything that hasn't been found? Could any of that information be part of any "deal" for LWOP? Just wondering.

do people think that he always tells the truth?

 

[ktm44]

do people think that he always tells the truth?

I would suggest that if he were to take a plea bargain, there would be sufficient evidence to verify the story he may tell.

 

[10ofRods]

IKR One would think the interview panel could delve into it to find something. Obviously someone made a choice. It's part of the arrest affidavit so it must be of some importance.

"Pursuant to records provided by a member of the interview panel for Pullman Police Department we learned that Kohberger's past education included undergraduate degrees in psychology and cloud-based forensics. These records also showed Kohberger wrote an essay when he applied for an internship with the Pullman Police Department in the fall of 2022. Kohberger wrote in his essay he had interest in assisting rural law enforcement agencies with how to better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations."

Read the affidavit on how investigators identified the Idaho killings suspect | CNN

Idaho officials have publicly released court documents -- including a probably cause affidavit -- in prosecutors' case against Bryan Kohberger, who faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the killings of four University of Idaho undergraduate students.

www.cnn.com

He has no "degree" in "cloud-based forensics." DeSales does have a master's track that includes those courses - but other graduates of the program had that called out at graduation; he did not. I think it's like two courses. But two courses is not a degree. His degree, as announced at graduation, was in criminology.

I hope Bryan didn't exaggerate 1 class into 2; and I hope that no one confused 2 classes (a certificate, basically) with an actual degree in cloud forensics/security.

This is what an actual master's degree in the topic looks like. And DeSales has an add-on certificate. I'm too lazy to contact the registrar, but the degree awarded to a student is public information and not covered by FERPA, so some sleuth could do that.

 

[acutename]

I would suggest that if he were to take a plea bargain, there would be sufficient evidence to verify the story he may tell.

in certain cases the victims' families and LE may want information from the killer but in this instance, I am not sure that people would be that intersted in his statements, IMO

 

[Ghostwheel]

do people think that he always tells the truth?

I don't understand, that wasn't my question.

 

[acutename]

I don't understand, that wasn't my question.

If you are "trading" the DP for some information, you would need to believe that the person actually has information you want and that the person would reliably give it to you. That was my point. Would you believe what BK might tell you about the crime? Would he be credible?

 

[Helechawagirl]

If you are "trading" the DP for some information, you would need to believe that the person actually has information you want and that the person would reliably give it to you. That was my point. Would you believe what BK might tell you about the crime? Would he be credible?

I think he could provide the information in excruciating detail.

 

[RonSwanson33]

In Idaho, folks who are determine to be mentally incompetent to stand trial are remanded to the custody of Idaho Department of Health & Welfare for treatment until competency is restored.

We saw this recently with Lori Vallow Daybell, who has been returned to competency.

If mental competency to stand trial cannot be restored, charges may be dropped as recently happened with Rene Jaramillo Navarrete. I’m not sure if the article is paywalled, so here’s the Google summary from a couple of days ago:
“A man who allegedly killed his coworker in 2019 is no longer facing charges after the court found him mentally incompetent to stand trial because of a dementia diagnosis.”

HTH & MOO

BK doesn't have dementa IMO