4 Univ of Idaho Students Murdered, Bryan Kohberger Arrested, Moscow, Nov 2022 #83

[NCWatcher]

He wasn't a PHD in criminology anymore. He "flunked" out of the program. To get your PHD you have to successfully complete your time as TA. He bombed out of his TA program.

I wouldn't say he wasn't smart enough mentally, I would say he couldn't hack the pressure emotionally. Being TA is a people job in 3 ways. Students, co-workers and your bosses - your professor and other department heads.

A people intensive job like that requires common sense and people skills. It was just too much for BK to navigate.

BK was imploding and I will be surprised if this isn't brought up at trial. There will definitely be a trial unless BK un-mutes himself and pleads guilty.

BK is smart enough to know his mute stance would draw lots of attention and commentary and it has, just look at all the discussions here about it. BK loves watching himself on TV according to jail sources so he loves watching everyone debate his mute stance.

Opinion only

I don't know if getting a PhD in Criminology anywhere requires completing a teaching assistantship. It doesn't at WSU. (There is a WSU requirement that can be satisfied by doing a TA but that requirement can also be satisfied by collecting data.) And there's no evidence he "flunked out" at WSU by losing his TA.

I do agree getting fired from his TA wasn't good. Still, BK was in his first semester of doctoral work. He was nowhere near being PhD. At WSU the doctoral Criminology program is expected to take 3 to 4 years to complete when a student is admitted with master's.
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology | Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Washington State University
JMO

 

[Cool Cats]

I don't know if getting a PhD in Criminology anywhere requires completing a teaching assistantship. It doesn't at WSU. (There is a WSU requirement that can be satisfied by doing a TA but that requirement can also be satisfied by collecting data.) And there's no evidence he "flunked out" at WSU by losing his TA.

I do agree getting fired from his TA wasn't good. Still, BK was in his first semester of doctoral work. He was nowhere near being PhD. At WSU the doctoral Criminology program is expected to take 3 to 4 years to complete when a student is admitted with master's.
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology | Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Washington State University
JMO

He was kicked out of his TA program and he needed to complete that program to complete a requirement for his PHD.

The point is that the OP posted that some people see BK as this criminal PHD mastermind who may have planned to bring his phone with him for some grand reason and I was saying they are wrong, that he wasn't a PHD criminal mastermind. He was not successful in his PHD program, he had barely started it as you state.

 

[NottaYutz]

More time to come up with alibi?

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/12/us/idaho-student-stabbings-kohberger-alibi-request/index.html

 

[NCWatcher]

He was kicked out of his TA program and he needed to complete that program to complete a requirement for his PHD.

The point is that the OP posted that some people see BK as this criminal PHD mastermind who may have planned to bring his phone with him for some grand reason and I was saying they are wrong, he wasn't successful in his PHD program, had barely started it as you state.

He was kicked out of the program completely because he was bared from campus so my opinion is he was no PHD criminal mastermind as some seem to think. Not posters here.

I think you might be making some assumptions. We have no evidence his being kicked off campus was because his spring TA was pulled. Much more likely the arrest played a role. Losing his TA would have been a financial hit for him but that wouldn't have meant he was kicked out of the program either. And no, he did not have to complete a TA program to earn a PhD. As I said, WSU allows criminology/cj students to complete the requirement in two ways. From Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology | Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Washington State University

Bold added by me.

"In addition to the course requirements, each student in the Ph.D. program is required to have formal teaching and/or research experience in an institution of higher learning before receiving the Ph.D. degree. Serving as a teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology satisfies this teaching requirement. Collecting original data also fulfills this requirement.

I'm not sure how many semesters students would have to TA to meet the requirement but BK had done one semester. Officially he did finish fall semester based on the letter we've seen. But even if he didn't, he could have met the requirement through research experience.
JMO

 

[Cool Cats]

I think you might be some assumptions. We have no evidence his being kicked off campus was because his spring TA was pulled. Much more likely the arrest played a role. Losing his TA would have been a financial hit for him but that wouldn't have meant he was kicked out of the program either. And no, he did not have to complete a TA program to earn a PhD. As I said, WSU allows criminology/cj students to complete the requirement in two ways. From Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Criminology | Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Washington State University

Bold added by me.

"In addition to the course requirements, each student in the Ph.D. program is required to have formal teaching and/or research experience in an institution of higher learning before receiving the Ph.D. degree. Serving as a teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology satisfies this teaching requirement. Collecting original data also fulfills this requirement.

I'm not sure how many semesters student would have to TA to meet the requirement but BK had done one semester. Officially he did finish fall semester based on the letter we've seen. But even if he didn't, he could have met the requirement through research experience.
JMO

I edited that post and took out the kicked off campus part because yes he was kicked off campus but not until he was served the letter from WSU in the Pennsylvania jail.

If anyone can find this letter please post. Thanks. It was previously posted before.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

A lot of opinions seem to be of the sort that BK had a plan that he is now executing. That it all means something. Him staying silent, him saying this or that, him taking his phone along to a murder etc.

IMO, a lot of that is bias. We heard right of the bat that he is "a phd student in criminology" and now we think that he must be smart and there must be a grand plan. Had it been told that he's a loner who used to work as a fish cutter, the impressions would be different. As a fellow phd student (and on my last year, not first year) - a lot of phd students are not smart, and even if they are, this does not have to mean that they are smart about everything that they do.

I think he is just a sad guy who did a cruel and evil thing based on emotions. And fk-ed up. And did not really think as far as getting caught. And that his online masters degree has nothing to do with it other than indicate that he has had at least interest in (if not fantasies about) crimes for a while.

I disagree the opinions would be different if he weren't a PhD student. Is there bias? Sure, there is bias on both sides. But IMO, there are a lot of things that form those biases in at least some people, it has little to do with him being a PhD student. JMO.

 

[MassGuy]

His DNA will undoubtedly be a significant obstacle for the defence. Additionally, we have not yet heard about any of the evidence found in his car.

Absolutely. And I’ll go this far, watch what they find.

 

[Boxer]

I think that is exactly what is going on. It seems like it is manufacturing an alibi instead of offering up the truth of the situation though.

Searching for a gap and develop a story to match.

 

[Balthazar]

Elantra vs Sentra




View attachment 428292

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.google.com

2011 Elantra

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2011 Hyundai Elantra: First Drive Photo Gallery

View detailed pictures that accompany our 2011 Hyundai Elantra: First Drive article with close-up photos of exterior and interior features. (29 photos)

www.autoblog.com

2015: Elantra

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MOO
ETA moscow press release

https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/DocumentCenter/View/24900/12-07-22-Stock-photos-of-white-2011-2013-Hyundai-Elantra

View attachment 428302

IMO the Sentra and Elantra could not be mistaken for each other. There are almost no similarities at all except for the color. The 2 Elantras are more similar, IMO. Still, I'd really like to see the source photo or video that LE was going off of in declaring a search. I remember at the time I was puzzled that they didn't share the actual photo or video but instead shared stock photos. I'm still wondering why they made that decision?

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I’m mostly referring to one thing. The Nissan Sentra

Its is a super specific car model. 1 of hundreds. 1 of dozens of Nissans. Does not resemble an Elantra in any meaningful way. I don’t think we’ve ever seen it reported out before that article.

You’re right about the rest. Inferred and a reporter creating a narrative around known facts.


Also, use the Pocket app or your browsers build in reader mode to bypass the paywall.

Could the Sentra part be an error? I feel like that's a pretty big thing and you're right, we've never heard it before. OTOH, if it were an error, I think they would have issued a retraction. So if it's true, LE went from 2019-2023 Nissan Sentra to 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra to BK's 2015 Elantra. I'm not sure what I think about that other than I think it's going to be a big deal. JMO

 

[Sundog]

He wasn't a PHD in criminology anymore. He "flunked" out of the program. To get your PHD you have to successfully complete your time as TA. He bombed out of his TA program.

I don't think that BK would have been required to leave the doctoral program based on his losing his TA position. Losing the TA position would have cost him his funding, but not necessarily his standing in the program. Most universities don't provide a TA appointment to all of their entering students, some pay the tuition themselves, don't need the TA appointment, or there aren't enough to go around for everyone.

You don't need to successfully complete your time as a TA in order to complete the PHD program at most universities. If that is the policy at WSU, I would be surprised.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

IMO the Sentra and Elantra could not be mistaken for each other. There are almost no similarities at all except for the color. The 2 Elantras are more similar, IMO. Still, I'd really like to see the source photo or video that LE was going off of in declaring a search. I remember at the time I was puzzled that they didn't share the actually photo or video but instead shared stock photos. I'm still wondering why they made that decision?

It's been speculated in older threads that it was because they didn't want to tip him off. I have always disagreed with this because I can't see a reason for LE not to put that photo out there, like LE tends to do in these cases. The other unusual thing when it comes to the car is that he supposedly made a 3-point turn in full view of a camera and yet, (as far as we know) neither a driver nor a license plate was visible. That's just odd.

MOO.

 

[Cool Cats]

I don't think that BK would have been required to leave the doctoral program based on his losing his TA position. Losing the TA position would have cost him his funding, but not necessarily his standing in the program. Most universities don't provide a TA appointment to all of their entering students, some pay the tuition themselves, don't need the TA appointment, or there aren't enough to go around for everyone.

You don't need to successfully complete your time as a TA in order to complete the PHD program at most universities. If that is the policy at WSU, I would be surprised.

BK's TA position wasn't mandatory for his PHD but I believe it was mandatory for him to be able to afford to go to WSU.

It costs a fortune for out-of-state tuition and by being a TA he was able to defer his out-of-state tuition and then get his Washington residency. Then his tuition would have become in-state-tuition plus he also got paid to be a TA. This was a paying job for him. No small feat.

I am sure BK would not have gone to WSU without the financial benefits of his TA position. I do not believe he would have even gone back for the spring semester (if not arrested) I doubt he could have afforded to do so.

He would have been charged out-of-state spring tuition costs and he would have had to find a job.

2 Cents

 

[Nila Aella]

DBM

 

[Sundog]

To brush off the TA position as not necessary is incorrect, It is how he could afford to go there.

<snipped for focus>

In your earlier post you stated that completing the TA position was required in order to complete the PhD program. My post stated that this is not the case, he could complete the PhD program without completing the TA position.

In order to fund his education, it was now up to him, no tuition covered as he was no longer a TA in the second semester. BK could have taken out student loans, I guess, and applied for federal funding for the second year, as well as student loans.

If he was establishing a state residency in Washington in order to be eligible for the in-state tuition for the TA, he would also be eligible for the in-state tuition in his second year as a doctoral student in Washington - even without the TA position. And he would be paying in-state tuition in his second year as a resident of the state. So no difference in tuition rate for his second year, if he established residency as he was apparently doing by changing his license, etc.

Edited to add - BK would be eligible for in-state tuition even without the TA position in his second year as a doctoral student at WSU, as long as he established his residency in Washington state per the requirements.

 

[Kavya01]

More time to come up with alibi?

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/12/us/idaho-student-stabbings-kohberger-alibi-request/index.html

Yeah. INcredible. Let's first carefully and thoroughly see what they have on me so I can finagle an alibi around what they are lacking. And pray they don't find out more stuff in the meantime before trial, so my "alibi" will remain standing.

 

[NCWatcher]

Yeah. INcredible. Let's first carefully and thoroughly see what they have on me so I can finagle an alibi around what they are lacking. And pray they don't find out more stuff in the meantime before trial, so my "alibi" will remain standing.

That's quite an accusation to aim at AT. If that were true and she were colluding with BK to create a fake alibi, I'm pretty sure she'd be engaging in unprofessional conduct for an attorney (at the very least.)
JMO

 

[Balthazar]

It's been speculated in older threads that it was because they didn't want to tip him off. I have always disagreed with this because I can't see a reason for LE not to put that photo out there, like LE tends to do in these cases. The other unusual thing when it comes to the car is that he supposedly made a 3-point turn in full view of a camera and yet, (as far as we know) neither a driver nor a license plate was visible. That's just odd.

MOO.

It IS odd.

I've been following the Leila Cavett case in Florida and police asked for help identifying the owner of a car and put photos of the exact car out that were taken by a convenience store video camera.

In this case, the ONLY picture of an actual vehicle that MIGHT be involved in this case was presented by a convenience store clerk. That vehicle in their convenience store video was clearly an Elantra - no question about it, even though the picture was blurry. How could LE NOT have any other photos - even blurry ones of the car in question, if they got video of the vehicle from the RING camera next door to 1122 King Rd and other locations?

 

[maskedwoman]

It's been speculated in older threads that it was because they didn't want to tip him off. I have always disagreed with this because I can't see a reason for LE not to put that photo out there, like LE tends to do in these cases. The other unusual thing when it comes to the car is that he supposedly made a 3-point turn in full view of a camera and yet, (as far as we know) neither a driver nor a license plate was visible. That's just odd.

MOO.

I can think of several possible explanations. A bush or tree might have been in the way when the car was still enough to actually make out the plate, or the quality of the camera wasn't good enough to make out the plate at that distance in the dark. Or maybe the bulbs that light the plate were burned out, you know, coincidentally, wink wink - although thinking of that might give BK too much credit. If he drove in, stopped, backed up to the right and the camera was on the left, with no front plate, it's possible the camera would never have had the right angle to capture the plate at all. Just some options.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I can think of several possible explanations. A bush or tree might have been in the way when the car was still enough to actually make out the plate, or the quality of the camera wasn't good enough to make out the plate at that distance in the dark. Or maybe the bulbs that light the plate were burned out, you know, coincidentally, wink wink - although thinking of that might give BK too much credit. If he drove in, stopped, backed up to the right and the camera was on the left, with no front plate, it's possible the camera would never have had the right angle to capture the plate at all. Just some options.

The only things that would be inconsequential for the prosecution, IMO, would be if there was a tree/bush or if the bulbs were burned out. If the camera quality was poor, I see that as an opening for the defense. If the part about the Sentra is accurate, I see an even bigger opening for the defense.

MOO.