Idaho college murders suspect appeared in front of new judge at new venue
BOISE, Idaho -- Accused Idaho college killer Bryan Kohberger appeared in court on Thursday before a new judge in a new location after he was granted a change of venue.
It is a major shift in a case that shocked the nation and rocked a small college community to its core
Kohberger's defense team was recently successful in its months-long fight for a change of venue over concerns about jury impartiality in Moscow, Idaho.
They argued that people who lived in the county where Kohberger is accused of stabbing four college students to death had pre-judgment opinions of guilt, citing a survey they say showed a "mob-like mentality" in the tight-knit town.
The judge agreed and the Idaho Supreme Court moved the case several hours away to Idaho's capital of Boise.
Kohberger was transferred in secret by the Ada County Sheriff's Office, using an Idaho State Police plane.
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Judge Steve Hippler will now oversee the case in the same venue where infamous doomsday mom Lori Vallow Daybell met her fate.
Judge Hippler, who was appointed to the bench in 2013, has handled high-profile criminal cases but this will be the first time he presides over a death penalty trial.
Among the first items Judge Hippler is assessing is the defense's newest argument to have the death penalty thrown out, along with their request that Kohberger not have to wear an inmate orange jumpsuit at his upcoming hearings.
His lawyers, who say he is innocent, asking for an official order for Kohberger to wear street clothing to all public court appearances.
But with roughly eight months until the trial begins, the runway to justice is becoming more clear for the families mourning their loved ones, like Kaylee Goncalves.
Kohberger's lawyers met with the sheriff's office, who told them they can accommodate their clothing request if the court allows it.
The trial, as of now, is slated to begin in June.
