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Moscow, Idaho – A judge has denied a request from Bryan Kohberger’s defense team to prevent an eyewitness from testifying about the suspect’s “bushy eyebrows.” The eyewitness, identified as D.M., is one of two surviving roommates and the only person known to have seen the intruder who killed four University of Idaho students last November.
Judge Steven Hippler ruled that D.M.’s testimony is relevant, stating that it is up to the jury to decide if Kohberger is the person she encountered. The defense argued that D.M.’s recollection might be unreliable due to alcohol consumption and the presence of artwork with prominent eyebrows on the walls.
They also contend that Kohberger does not have bushy eyebrows. Prosecutors countered this claim by presenting a selfie allegedly taken by Kohberger hours after the murders.
The judge also denied a defense motion to prohibit prosecutors from referring to Kohberger’s car as the “suspect vehicle.” However, he partially granted a defense motion regarding DNA evidence, instructing witnesses to avoid terms like “touch DNA,” “contact DNA,” and “trace DNA.”
Regarding Kohberger’s autism diagnosis, the judge ruled that expert testimony on this matter would only be permissible if Kohberger chooses to testify and the diagnosis is needed to explain his behavior on the stand. A decision on whether evidence related to Kohberger’s purported obsessive-compulsive disorder can be introduced was deferred to a later date.
Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He has pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The trial is set to begin August 11.