PLEA DEAL REACHED - 4 Univ of Idaho Students Murdered, Bryan Kohberger Arrested, Moscow, Nov 2022 #109

[QB2022]

As far as I know both Maddie and Goncalves family wanted the DP. Kernodle's family apparently also are not happy about this. I gotta say, this is in bad taste. I understand a trial can be costly, but not everything should be about money, morals have to come into play too. If the families are not happy about this, especially if it was served in this nonchalant manner through the media, then the Idaho state has indeed fumbled the ball hard.

I'm sure one of the other families were split in views re DP. With all the news of the last 24 hours I'm struggling to find the links.

 

[NuttMegg]

I'm beyond shocked at this turn of events... thank you for mentioning the Dateline episode. I'm going to look for it now.

Can the judge tank the plea deal? Do they have that ability?

How could he ever get a fair trial after having admitted he did it in proposed plea deal?

 

[AngTxGal]

I think Howard Blum has hinted at this as well.

The Prosecution offered a deal, that is how Kohberger was able to accept, to many the offer alone seems like an injustice.

Now we all know that a deal implies he gets something in exchange.
Kohberger gets the death penalty removed as an option
Kohberger changes his pleas to guilty, life sentences, no possibility of parole, no appeals

Does his tell them where the knife is?
Does he have to explain what he did and why?
Does he have to hear victim impact statements?
Is he able to write a book and become famous? Or can they sue for all proceeds of any adventure go to the families?

So does this case wrap it up for victims? I’m not sure all of the families could be appeased as their needs for justice would be different.
For some victim families this may be enough
For other victim families this isn’t enough- they may want the death penalty
For other victims- some were witnesses, they were in that house, they would have to testify in court. No trial may allow them to more easily move forward?
For still others- they may want to face him in court and testify against him.

It would be tough to decide what to do here as the families likely could not agree. Would it be ok to pursue the death penalty for some victim families when others are against it. I don’t think so. And some have been quiet and stayed private while others have been outspoken.

It is all a bit confusing, many of us were hoping for a trial, but the victims and families often do not come first- they are often lost in the drama.

IMO

 

[heartandsoul]

I’m personally not a fan of the DP, so I am content with life without parole. But I’m just a stranger on the internet. I so wish the families and surviving victims all the strength imaginable.

And I am glad DM has been spared the trauma of a three month trial sat across from that arrogant dumbass.

 

[Breezyflavor]

Watching the Dateline special and BK called his parents right after the murder?

How could he ever get a fair trial after having admitted he did it in a proposed plea deal?

no, I'm not saying he should. I mean when they go in front of the judge Wednesday to change the status of the case, could the judge reject the change

 

[Miss Poovy]

How could he ever get a fair trial after having admitted he did it in proposed plea deal?

Exactly what I was thinking! I thought the deals were signed, sealed & delivered before an announcement. If an officer of the court “leaked” the information, could there be repercussions?

 

[NuttMegg]

Watching the Dateline special and BK called his parents right after the murder?

no, I'm not saying he should. I mean when they go in front of the judge Wednesday to change the status of the case, could the judge reject the change

Well, if the judge rejected it, then the trial would take place after massive publicity of his willingness to say he is guilty. Maybe you've all discussed it, but I don't see how jurors could ever be able to discount an admission of guilt. Even if not allowed into evidence.

 

[AngTxGal]

Why would the Prosecution do that? Wouldn't it have been perceived by some that they didn't think he was guilty and that they were backing down?

THe cost to Idaho is a valid factor. There were only two possible sentences for these crimes and he got 4 consecutive life sentences. Life without parole.

And he admitted he was guilty. He admits he did it - which, I think, is a very good outcome for the families. The verdict still gets read, it is now on record - he says he did it.

More killers should do this, IMO. For all we know, he has glimmers of conscience. He wants to spare his own family. I think some of the family members did not want to hear the details again at trial (this is based on interviews given some time ago).

The system itself is real and fair. It should be the case that guilty people can so state. To me, that's fair. Saying you didn't do something when you actually did, and then sitting and waiting for others to prove that you did it is to me, the opposite of fairness.

I do believe that at least one of the families did not want the DP nor did they want to continue their grief through the trial process.

IMO he threw himself on the mercy of the court and did so when he realized the new Judge was not brooking any nonsense and that the witnesses brought in today (Friday) were going to be damning.

Again, JMO.

I’m not willing to give him any credit for having a moral compass, my guess is he realized Guilty and the Death Penalty were the most likely possibility.

We know people can sit on death row for three or four decades- so it would be possible that the parents of the victims could pass before he would actually be put to death. His parents could pass before it ever happened.

Maybe he was simply done with the game- realized he lost. His decision would be for himself- I think he didn’t want to endure being a court-side witness to a trial that showcased in detail all of his criminal idiocy. He has lost control- and in a plea he seems to regained some control.

His aspirations for CJ Poster-boy to advertise CJ PhD programs is over… he is not the sharpest pencil in the box after all. Just another dull pencil who got caught and is going to prison.

I cannot imagine the conversations that have taken place between BK and each of his parents. What would a parent do, say, and think? We have to realize they are victims too. They are not the Laundries.

IMO

 

[Sachi]

How could anyone deserve the death penalty more.

So, like Watts, they'll stick him in a relatively cushy place so well protected to save their own collective a$$es from possible violence against their new protected one. See Watts with his private cell for 2+ years. Now reportedly serving as religious "counselor" for terminally ill inmates, and preparing for his new marriage albeit without conjugal visits. So far.

What a gobsmack. What a sick joke letting him off so be can spend the rest of his life as the enigma. While real people, who have not taken the lives of others have to live under bridges because no one is gifting them free housing, 3 squares a day, free utilities, free dental, medical for the rest of their lives at raxpayer expense.

THIS!!!!!

 

[heartandsoul]

I think he’s nothing more than a coward and he finally realised he was very likely to be facing the DP.

 

[DizzyB]

I’m conflicted. This would have been the highest punishment in the state where I live. I believe that if I were a parent of one of these children, I would want him dead. But nothing will change what happened, and the potential of a not guilty verdict or years of appeals would weigh heavily. The part that bothers me is that he gets to continue in a life, whatever it is. There will be books and interviews and updates about him, while their children are no more.

 

[AngTxGal]

Exactly what I was thinking! I thought the deals were signed, sealed & delivered before an announcement. If an officer of the court “leaked” the information, could there be repercussions?

Great point, but it seems from one jurisdiction to the next things can be done very differently.

IMO

 

[Magic8Ball]

Watching the Dateline special and BK called his parents right after the murder?

no, I'm not saying he should. I mean when they go in front of the judge Wednesday to change the status of the case, could the judge reject the change

Judge Hippler could reject the plea deal, but he won't, IMO.
It's State of Idaho v. Kohberger, not "Families of Victims v. Kohberger."

Another option is the judge could attach his own list of stipulations in order to approve the plea deal, e.g., require BK to give a full, detailed account of the murders at allocution, what his motives were, where he disposed of the knife, etc., which would at least give the families and the public at large some more answers.

Or he could simply accept the plea deal as agreed to by both the prosecution and the defense.

The ball is in his court. Literally.

Whatever Judge Hippler decides, I'm going to accept as the right decision, based on his handling of the case so far. He knows Idaho law and their court system. We don't.

 

[NuttMegg]

I’m conflicted. This would have been the highest punishment in the state where I live. I believe that if I were a parent of one of these children, I would want him dead. But nothing will change what happened, and the potential of a not guilty verdict or years of appeals would weigh heavily. The part that bothers me is that he gets to continue in a life, whatever it is. There will be books and interviews and updates about him, while their children are no more.

I hear what you're saying, I just don't like it that all they have to do is spend some relatively short period of time jockeying to see how much evidence there is, then raise their hand and say "I quit". If the state wants to abolish the DP, ok. But these plea deals mock the sense of justice, imo.

 

[AngTxGal]

Judge Hippler could reject the plea deal, but he won't, IMO.
It's State of Idaho v. Kohberger, not "Families of Victims v. Kohberger."

Another option is the judge could attach his own list of stipulations and requirements in order to approve the plea deal, e.g., require BK to give a full, detailed account of the murders, what his motives were, where he disposed of the knife, etc. would at least give the families and the public at large some answers.

Or he could simply accept the plea deal as agreed to by both the prosecution and the defense.

The ball is in his court. Literally.

I don’t think the judge can reject the plea deal… how would that work?

Prosecution offers a plea deal to take four murder 1 charges, remove DP.
Defendant is taking the plea offer- which is guilty plea to four murder 1 charges. As per the Press
Judge rejects the plea offer and defendant’s acceptance
Defendant goes to trial with a plea of Not Guilty??

That doesn’t work

IMO

 

[geevee]

I doubt that a defendant would make a statement before it is known if the judge will accept the plea deal and its terms. JMO

Due to the plea hearing being scheduled and sentencing expected at the end of the month, the deal may at least have the judge's tacit approval?

 

[QB2022]

MoO is that it isn't a case of if the judge will agree or not, it will what stipulations he (or does not) add.

 

[Magic8Ball]

I don’t think the judge can reject the plea deal… how would that work?

Prosecution offers a plea deal to take four murder 1 charges, remove DP.
Defendant is taking a plea deal- plea guilty to four murder 1 charges. As per the press
Judge rejects plea deal
Defendant then goes to court pleading Not Guilty??

That doesn’t work

IMO

Judge can accept or reject the plea deal.
It's at his discretion.
And yes, if plea gets rejected, BK can withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

I don't think Judge H. will reject it, though.
I do think he'll add his own requirements to the deal, and then we'll see if BK still wants to plead out or withdraw from the plea agreement.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

 

[MrsWatson]

I'm gobsmacked that BK is going to take a plea deal. I really thought he was going to ride this all the way down; this was his chance at infamy.

I am glad the victims' families and loved ones don't have to sit through a trial, but imo, BK needs to give a credible account of what really happened. I don't think we'll every know his reasoning of why, though. That's his little secret.

moo

 

[Megnut]

Admission of guilt, a massive sentence, a reprieve for those witnesses for whom testifying would have been retraumatizing, and not one additional day of appellate litigation, that's all good.

No mistrials. No retrial. No DP appeals. Conspiracy shutdown. This guilty plea is the only way IMO to lay this case -- and the innocent victims -- to rest. He is DONE.

My thoughts are with the survivors, families, friends as a new phase of grief faces them, emotional adrenaline giving way to physical exhaustion, the war over, but the reality beginning again.

Four beautiful young people who aren't coming home. Who don't get futures.

May the future be gentle to those left behind.

JMO