Idaho Judge Blocks Release of Graphic Kohberger Crime Scene Photos, Citing Family Trauma
Idaho Judge Blocks Release of Graphic Kohberger Crime Scene Photos, Citing Family Trauma
An Idaho judge has issued a ruling blocking the public release of highly graphic photos from the crime scene where Bryan Kohberger murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022. Second District Judge Megan Marshall’s decision, made on Wednesday, aims to prevent the widespread dissemination of “incredibly disturbing” images that could inadvertently be seen by the victims’ families, deeming it an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
The ruling mandates the city of Moscow to redact portions of the images depicting victims’ bodies or the immediate surrounding blood. However, Judge Marshall acknowledged the public’s interest in investigative records, permitting the release of other photos, videos, and documents related to the high-profile case, including footage of distraught friends discovered on the morning the bodies were found.
Kohberger was sentenced to life without parole last July for the brutal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus rental home. Family members of Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin had specifically requested that parts of the crime scene photos and videos remain hidden from public view, citing their invasive and traumatizing nature.
Despite the criminal investigation and case being closed, which typically allows for the lifting of sealing on records under Idaho law, Judge Marshall emphasized the profound impact such images would have on the victims’ loved ones. She wrote, “There is little to be gained by the public in seeing the decedents’ bodies, the blood soaked sheets, blood spatter or other death-scene depictions,” noting these images have already caused “extreme emotional distress” to the families. Marshall concluded that while releasing these records might have minor effects on those fixated on conspiracies, “it has and will continue to have profound effect upon the decedents’ loved ones.”
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.