Judge allows death penalty if suspect accused of killing four college students in Idaho is convicted

The judge overseeing the trial of Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger on Tuesday ruled that prosecutors can seek the death penalty if he is convicted of killing four college students in August.

Kohberger is accused of killing college students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin by fatally stabbing them in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, in November of 2022. 

Defense attorneys for Kohberger, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, tried to convince District Court Judge Steven Hippler to rule out the death penalty last month. The lawyers argued that capital punishment goes against "contemporary standards of decency," according to Fox News.

Hippler on Tuesday said capital punishment is constitutional, and that the defense did not come up with an alternative method of execution in Idaho, per NBC News. 

"Defendant must come forward with an alternative method, he has not done so, thus foreclosing his claim," Hippler wrote in his 55-page ruling. "The court concludes relief in defendant’s favor is not warranted on any of the motions."

The death penalty is only applicable in Idaho if the perpetrator is convicted of first degree murder or conspiracy to commit first degree murder. A jury also has to unanimously agree to impose the death penalty. The execution can be carried out by lethal injection or firing squad.

The alternative to the death penalty is life in prison with a chance of parole after at least 10 years.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.