Bryan Kohberger plea deal accepted

NewsNation’s Brian Entin described the scene inside the courtroom as Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in 2022.

He described Kohberger as being emotionless during the trial, while his parents appeared upset but were not crying.

NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield says Kohberger is a “sick and twisted murderer” after new details were revealed during the plea deal hearing.

Prosecutors revealed how Kohberger reached the house and also that he killed Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen first.

The judge said families of the victims will be able to present statements at the sentencing. The date is set for July 23.

Judge Steven Hippler said he found the plea to be factually correct and that Kohberger entered into it freely.

He accepted the plea deal.

Prosecutors say Kohberger made an effort to alter his Amazon history after the crime.

They said he also switched his car registration from Pennsylvania to Washington following the crime, notable because Pennsylvania does not require a front license plate.

The prosecution said they were prepared to present a full account of the evidence instead of the overview.

Prosecutors reviewed Kohberger’s purchase of a knife from Amazon before he moved to Washington State University to pursue his degree.

They laid out cellphone evidence that placed Kohberger in the area near the off-campus house where the victims lived multiple times prior to the crime.

The prosecution detailed surveillance video showing Kohberger’s car the night of the crime.

The prosecution says there was no evidence of a sexual element to the crime.

Prosecutors said Kohberger took backroads after the crime, with his phone turned off, to return home.

Following the crime, prosecutors say Kohberger took a selfie of himself giving a thumbs-up in the bathroom of his home.

When asked if he entered the home of the victims with the intent to commit murder, Bryan Kohberger answered, “Yes.”

When asked if he killed Madison Mogen with premeditation and forethought, he answered, “Yes.”

When asked if he killed Kaylee Goncalves with premeditation and forethought, he answered, “Yes.”

When asked if he killed Xana Kernodle with premeditation and forethought, he answered, “Yes.”

And when asked if he killed Ethan Chapin with premeditation and forethought, he answered, “Yes.”

In response to questions from the judge, Bryan Kohberger affirmed he was satisfied with the work done by his lawyers and the rights he was waiving.

Kohberger continued to respond in one-word answers, without elaborating.

Judge Steven Hippler also outlined the burden of proof on prosecutors if Kohberger were to reject the plea deal and the case were to go to trial.

Hippler detailed the charges and elements necessary for a guilty verdict.

The judge asked Bryan Kohberger if he had consumed any drugs or alcohol that would affect his judgment and whether he was thinking clearly.

He then laid out the sentences for the charges and questions about whether he was pressured or coerced into taking the plea.

Kohberger responded with one-word answers to the judge’s questions.

When asked if he was pleading guilty because he was guilty, Kohberger reponded, “Yes.”

The judge questioned Bryan Kohberger’s attorney about the deal and the information she shared with her client.

He questioned Kohberger on whether he understood the charges and the consequences of the plea deal. He also noted that he would be asking questions to ensure Kohberger isn’t pleading guilty to a crime he didn’t commit.

Hippler also told Kohberger he could sit when answering questions, telling Kohberger he appreciated his standing as a sign of respect.

Judge Steven Hippler reviewed the plea deal, in which Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to all charges and faces 10 years for the burglary charge and five life sentences, to be served consecutively.

The plea also includes Kohberger waiving his right to appeal the plea or the sentences.

Originally, prosecutors had sought the death penalty in the case.

Judge Steven Hippler offered his apologies to the victims’ families for the short notice of the hearing and said he learned of the plea agreement Monday afternoon, along with everyone else.

Until then, he said he was preparing for the trial as planned, including making preparations for jury selection.

Hippler said the quickness was due to the “extraordinary administrative efforts” needed to get the trial underway on time.

Judge Steven Hippler began the hearing by warning there would be no tolerance for disruption in the courtroom.

He also rebuked a campaign involving calls from the public to his office in an attempt to sway his decision, noting that it slowed down his office’s ability to work on the case, along with others.

Hippler said he has not read the messages or listened to the voicemails that were sent to the office and called the campaign inappropriate.

Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, has been sharply critical of the plea deal agreement.

“Four life sentences isn’t justice, it’s day care,” he said before the hearing began.

Edwina Elcox, a longtime defense attorney in Idaho, tells “NewsNation Live” she believes Judge Steven Hippler will accept Bryan Kohberger’s plea deal on Wednesday. She says while the victims’ families may be upset, this resolution is ultimately the right one. With the death penalty off the table, Elcox says, the plea deal still carries the maximum sentence allowed under the law.

The family of Kaylee Goncalves posted on Facebook opposing the plea deal and criticizing prosecutor Bill Thompson.

“Thompson robbed us of our day in court. No negotiations, no jury of our peers, not even the pretense of cooperation and fairness,” they wrote.

A professor who taught Kohberger said he was interested in studying the thought processes of serial killers and wondered if her lectures inspired him.

The families of victims are arriving at the courthouse. It is not clear how much Kohberger may say about the crime.

Bryan Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students.

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in an off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022.

Two other roommates who lived in the house were unharmed, and one recalled hearing a strange noise around 4 a.m. and seeing a masked man in the house.

The Goncalves family arrived at the courthouse for the hearing, but Steve Goncalves, father to victim Kaylee Goncalves, left.

He accused prosecutors of making “a deal with the devil.”

The family of Ethan Chapin, one of the four college students killed, has arrived at the courthouse ahead of the plea deal hearing.