Bryan Kohberger appeared in court to make his controversial plea deal legal in the eyes of the law … admitting guilt to four murders — and, the judge has signed off on the plea.
The judge began proceedings Wednesday by asking for people in the courtroom not to be disruptive … and, he chastised the public for calling his office to dispute the plea deal. He said he hasn’t read or listened to any of the messages left at his office.
Kohberger stood up in the courtroom and was sworn in by the clerk, and said “yes” when asked if he’s pleading guilty because he’s actually guilty and not just to avoid the death penalty.
A state prosecutor read a recitation of facts in the case … laying out their case that would’ve come to light had Kohberger gone to trial.
TMZ.com
As we reported … the deal calls for Kohberger to plead guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the brutal stabbing deaths of four Idaho college students … and he will receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The families of the four victims — Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves — are split on the plea deal … Ethan and Madison’s fathers support it, but the Goncalves and Kernodle families strongly oppose it.
Some of the families are in the courtroom right now … and prosecutors have not said why they agreed to a deal, rather than taking the case to trial next month.
As you know … the four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death inside their off-campus home in Moscow in November 2022 … and Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania 6 weeks after the murders.
Kohberger’s sentencing is set for July 23 and may continue onto the next day, the judge said.
