Bryan Kohberger Is a 'Really Difficult Client'—Defense Attorney

Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, is likely "a really difficult client," according to a defense attorney.

Kohberger, 28, declined to enter pleas during his arraignment in Latah County District Court on Monday, with his defense attorney Anne Taylor telling the judge that they were going to "stand silent" at this time. The decision prompted 2nd District Judge John Judge to enter not guilty pleas on Kohberger's behalf.

He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of burglary in connection with the November 13 slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, at a rental home near the university campus in Moscow.

Then a graduate student studying criminology at nearby Washington State University, Kohberger was arrested late last year at his parents' home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania.

On Monday, Kohberger also declined to waive his right to a speedy trial, so the judge scheduled it to begin on October 2. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson now has 60 days to inform the court whether he will seek the death penalty in the case.

Discussing the arraignment, NewsNation's Ashleigh Banfield said on her show on Monday night that she had "never seen somebody look so engaged… and then stop talking."

Criminal defense attorney Richard Blok told Banfield that it "seems really strange" if Kohberger is trying to "work up an incompetency defense."

"This is not a good way to do it," Blok said.

He suggested Taylor could struggle in getting Kohberger to do what needs to be done to present a good defense in the case.

"I think more than likely, Anne Taylor has got a really difficult client who's going to be a problem," Blok said. "And she's gonna have a lot of trouble controlling him and getting him to do the things he needs to do to present a good defense."

Jessica Bublitz, another criminal defense attorney, said on NewsNation that many attorneys in Idaho believe standing silent in response to a grand jury indictment gives an advantage when it comes to challenging that indictment. Kohberger was indicted last week by a grand jury.

"I don't personally think that it would make a difference, but my impression is that this is likely just Anne Taylor's method, par for the course for her, when she has a client in the situation where they're going to be potentially challenging a grand jury indictment," Bublitz said.

"She stands silent as opposed to entering that not guilty plea."

The decision to stand silent also raised questions about whether Kohberger was trying to avoid facing the death penalty.

Sara Azari, a criminal defense attorney, has said that standing mute is a "smart" strategy to appease the families of the victims.

"We say silence is golden ... [It's about] leaving the door open so that if this is a really bad case in terms of irrefutable evidence and he does in fact, ultimately, plead guilty in exchange for the death penalty to come off or what not, that he's not now p****d off four hurting, reeling families," she said.