Bryan Kohberger's Attorneys Fight Over Footage of His Crotch

Lawyers for Idaho quadruple-murder suspect Bryan Kohberger recently argued that cameras in court are focusing too much on their client's crotch and should be removed from future hearings.

Last week, lawyers for Kohberger filed a motion in court for the removal, citing several issues with past camera footage, including a claim that some cameras have been targeting his "fly."

"Mr. Kohberger is entitled to defend himself against capital criminal charges without cameras focused on his fly," Kohberger's lawyers said in a motion August 24.

On Wednesday, several media outlets, including the Associated Press, filed a motion to intervene, asking the court to allow cameras in Kohberger's coming hearings.

"In addition, although Mr. Kohberger argues that he is "entitled to defend himself against capital charges without cameras focused on his fly," that assertion misstates the role that courtroom camera coverage played in the X [, formerly Twitter,] social media post that appears at page 3 of his motion. No photographs or camera coverage focused on Mr. Kohberger's 'fly,'" the motion filed by the news outlets said.

Kohberger, 28, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in the fatal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20. All four victims were students at the University of Idaho when the killings occurred.

The motion filed by the news organizations goes on to state that camera coverage in the courtroom is not specifically focused on Kohberger but instead shows a wide variety of coverage of the overall case. Kohberger has maintained his innocence and previously stood silent on the charges, allowing the judge to enter not guilty pleas for each.

Earlier this month, Kohberger appeared in court for a status hearing where he decided to waive his right to a speedy trial. The decision canceled the previously planned start date of October 2 for a trial, and a new date has yet to be determined.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson announced in June that the state was seeking the death penalty for Kohberger, saying he "exhibited utter disregard for human life" in the deaths of the four students.

Prosecutors also previously announced that a DNA swab taken from Kohberger while in custody was a "statistical match" to the sample found on a knife sheath at the crime scene.

Kohberger's attorneys are working to have the grand jury indictment of their client tossed.

Newsweek reached out to Anne Taylor, Kohberger's public defender, via email on Thursday for comment.