LATAH COUNTY, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students last November, was back in a Latah County courtroom Wednesday as a judge heard arguments on whether or not to allow cameras in court for future proceedings.
Judge John Judge will issue a written ruling after taking the arguments into consideration.
Kohberger currently faces charges of first-degree murder in the slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.
The State and the defense have both expressed their desire to keep cameras out of the courtroom, though the media has filed a motion to "intervene", requesting that a camera be present.
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The judge questioned whether the media has a right to intervene on the issue. The attorney representing the media argued it's an issue of access, expressing an increasing need for people to see for themselves what is going on.
The defense expressed their concern for the spectacle that could be created by allowing cameras inside, more based on the manipulation of video and images for public consumption.
The defense team argued their intent is not to keep media members out of the courtroom — just the cameras — and suggested if a camera is allowed, it be positioned somewhere else, rather than directly behind the defense team.
The state, although acknowledging the media plays an important role in the judicial process, expressed concerns about protecting vulnerable witnesses and graphic evidence.
The judge expressed that he believes the media has already "pushed the envelope". His concerns, he says, are in how commentators talk about video and how it is used.
The judge will take the arguments into consideration, including the suggestion of possibly moving the location of the camera within the courtroom. He will issue a written ruling at a later date.
