ADA COUNTY, Idaho (Scripps News Boise) — Prosecutors want to include an academic paper written by Bryan Kohberger at his upcoming quadruple murder trial, according to court documents.
The 12-page paper written in 2020 outlines a fictional investigation into the stabbing death of a “white female who is approximately 35 years of age.” In it, Kohberger lists step-by-step procedures a crime scene investigator should follow — including methods to prevent contamination and the spread of DNA, such as wearing gloves and covering one’s face and shoes.
This photo released by the State of Idaho, which prosecutors claim to have been taken from Bryan Kohberger’s phone, shows Kohberger, accused of slaying 4 University of Idaho students, gesturing in a selfie on Nov. 13, 2022, hours after the homicides occurred. (State of Idaho via AP)
He wrote, “I must ensure myself and my fellow crime scene personnel are wearing gloves and other protective equipment as to avoid contaminating the scene with latent fingerprints.”
Kohberger reportedly wrote the paper while he was a student at DeSales University in Pennsylvania. At the time of his arrest, he was a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University.
Prosecutors also revealed evidence regarding face coverings, including a purchase record from Dick’s Sporting Goods that allegedly shows Kohberger bought a black balaclava – the same type of mask described by a surviving roommate who claims she saw a man wearing a black ski mask inside the King Road home the night of the killings.
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The state is also including surveillance footage and business records from Costco and Albertsons, which they say show Kohberger’s vehicle and activity around noon the day after the murders.
To help the jury understand the layout of the home where the killings occurred, prosecutors are asking to use a 3D rendering of the crime scene — rather than a to-scale model, as previously proposed.
The defense objects, saying the rendering could mislead the jury.
Also in question is whether Kohberger’s behavior and physical demeanor can be discussed in front of the jury. Defense attorneys say Kohberger has autism spectrum disorder and a coordination disorder that may explain how he appears in court.
However, the state argues that evidence is irrelevant, was only recently disclosed, and could unfairly influence the jury’s perception. “The defendant’s appearance and behaviors in front of a jury are not material or relevant,” prosecutors wrote.
Additionally, there’s a debate over specific wording allowed during the trial. Kohberger is charged with killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, but his attorneys don’t want prosecutors to refer to him as a “murderer” in front of the jury.
And when it comes to some of the state’s strongest evidence—the DNA found on a knife sheath at the scene—the defense is asking the court to prohibit the use of the terms “touch DNA” or “contact DNA,” arguing those phrases could mislead the jury since trace DNA could scientifically be present even if Kohberger never touched the item.
The murder weapon has never been found, but prosecutors say Kohberger searched Amazon for a replacement after the killings. The state has filed a motion to exclude that Amazon click activity from the trial, arguing the presented data is incomplete and misleading.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Boise, an E.W. Scripps Company.
