Judge rules that Bryan Kohberger’s defense team can continue the jury investigation in a murder case

This is a breaking news story. Return to idahostatesman.com for updates.
To sign up for breaking news alerts, click here.

The judge in the University of Idaho student murder case on Friday lifted the court’s order barring contact with potential jurors, ruling that Bryan Kohberger’s defense team can continue its investigation to justify a change of venue without accommodations.

Judge John Judge of Idaho’s Second Judicial District in Latah County had warned Anne Taylor, Kohberger’s chief public defender, during an April 4 hearing through a defense telephone survey of hundreds of potential jurors, which prosecutors said was likely to conflict were subject to the court’s silence order. Taylor claimed the judge violated her client’s constitutional rights by halting the election.

But the judge ordered Friday that the defense can continue its investigation without changing the questions. The investigation is part of the defense’s efforts to justify an out-of-county change of venue for Kohberger’s expected murder trial.

The judge had barred attorneys for both sides from contacting potential jurors in a court order in March, at the insistence of prosecutors.

The prosecutor did not object to the survey itself, but did ask certain questions asked in the poll to 400 residents who could be called as jurors in the trial. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said the questions could taint the local jury pool.

Judge in U of I murder case reprimands Bryan Kohberger’s defense team for juror’s phone probe

Prosecutor: Bryan Kohberger, suspect in murder of Idaho college student, did not stalk victim