UPDATE: Will Bryan Kohberger Actually Get A Trial?

Summary

RedHanded Podcast: UPDATE – Will Bryan Kohberger Actually Get A Trial?

Date: July 31, 2026
Hosts: RedHanded
Episode Focus: Examining Bryan Kohberger’s attempt to retract his 2025 guilty plea in the Idaho student murders case, his claims for post-conviction relief, and the potential legal ramifications.

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Episode Overview

This episode revisits the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. The hosts provide an update on Kohberger’s recent legal attempts to withdraw his plea—despite having waived the right to appeal—and break down the implications, motivations, and legal hurdles of his move for post-conviction relief.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context and Recap of the Case

• Guilty Plea and Plea Deal (00:01):

  • Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, receiving life without parole.
  • Victims: Kaylee Gonzalves, Ethan Chapin, Zana Kernodle, Madison Mogen.
  • The plea deal disappointed some victims’ families, who had hoped for a public trial and full disclosure of evidence.

• Hosts’ Perspective:

  • "Why would you drag four families through a trial if the defendant is willing to take a plea deal?" (A, 01:33)
  • They sympathize with families but support ending the ordeal with a plea.

2. Concerns with Plea Deals

• Public Scrutiny:
  • The lack of a trial means not all evidence is aired; fuels conspiracy theories and doubts in the public sphere.
  • Reference to the Casey Anthony case: "Did Casey Anthony really do it even though she had a fucking trial?" (A, 02:17)

3. Bryan Kohberger’s Change of Heart (03:11)

• A year post-plea, Kohberger now claims he was “tricked,” seeking to retract his plea.
• Hosts’ skepticism: “I think he’s just bored. He’s looking life down the barrel here. I might as well think of something to do.” (A, 03:18)

4. Post-Conviction Relief: What Can (and Can’t) Be Challenged?

• Legal Explanation:
  • Post-conviction relief allows challenges even after waiving direct appeals.
  • “The standard...the bar is very, very, very high.” (A, 04:00)
  • He must show a constitutional violation or manifest injustice.

5. Kohberger’s Sworn Affidavit: His Claims for Relief

a. Unknown Hair Evidence (04:36)

• Kohberger alleges his lawyers failed to inform him about “clumps of unknown hair” found in Ethan Chapin’s hands.
• Legal reality: Defense had an expert analyze the hair; it matched Ethan Chapin and was a “dead end.”
• Host’s clarity: “The only concern for the court would be was the defence counsel effective?...But they did their jobs.” (A, 05:32)

b. Misleading Defense & Admitting Actual Guilt (06:00)

• Kohberger claims he was told by his lawyers actual guilt didn’t matter, and to plead guilty despite innocence.
• Host’s skepticism:
  • “He’s saying, my lawyers knew that I was not guilty...they told me to enter a false plea.” (A, 06:18)
  • The court record directly contradicts this.
  • Defense attorneys explain evidence and outcomes but cannot direct a false plea.

c. Plea Hearing Audio (07:35–10:57)

• The hosts play and analyze the plea colloquy, highlighting Kohberger’s clear and repeated admissions.
• Memorable lines from the judge:
  • “Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?” – “Yes.” (B&A, 09:08)
  • “Is anybody coercing you?...Anything nefarious?” – “Nope, nope.” (A, 10:57)
• Hosts affirm: “There’s no ambiguity.” (A, 10:58)

d. Misrepresentation of Prison Terms (11:04)

• Kohberger claims his lawyers lied about the differences between life without parole and death row life.

• Hosts rebut with facts:

  • “His lawyers, absolutely, that is their job, to explain those things to him.” (A, 12:08)
  • Death row conditions are objectively worse; it’s normal for attorneys to counsel clients on outcomes.

• Host’s sharp comment: “You can’t tell me you didn’t know about death row conditions, Brian.” (A, 12:30)

• Kohberger was a PhD criminology student—likely knew the implications of both plea and sentencing options.

6. What’s Next for Bryan Kohberger?

• Possible outcomes:
  • The court may hold an evidentiary hearing to address his three claims.
  • His lawyers may have to defend their actions.
• High legal bar: He must prove the plea was “constitutionally biased” or that these issues would have led him to reject the plea.
• Host’s conclusion: Victory is “highly unlikely,” but the process will play out publicly.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On plea deals vs. trials:
  “I still stand by the fact that I do think it was the right thing. Why would you drag four families through a trial if the defendant is willing to take a plea deal?” (A, 01:33)

• On conspiracy theories:
  “People want to see conspiracy theories everywhere...That’s always the danger when you don’t have a trial.” (A, 02:17)

• On Kohberger’s motives:
  “I think he’s just bored. Yeah, looking life down the barrel here. I might as well think of something to do.” (A, 03:18)

• On post-conviction relief:
  “The standard…the bar is very, very, very high.” (A, 04:00)

• On the defense’s hair analysis:
  “They even hired an expert to analyze them...the report shows that the hair looked like it was a match for Ethan Chapin’s own hair. So it’s kind of a dead end.” (A, 05:32)

• On Kohberger’s claim his lawyers told him to lie:
  “He’s saying, my lawyers knew that I was not guilty, and they told me…to lie to the court. Because obviously, obviously a defence counsel. What they’re going to do is look at all of the evidence...and be like, this doesn’t look good for you.” (A, 06:18)

• Plea hearing exchange:

  • Judge: “Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?” (09:08)
  • Kohberger: “Yes.”

• On prison conditions:
  “You can’t tell me you didn’t know about death row conditions, Brian. And also you can’t tell me you didn’t understand what you were pleading guilty to.” (A, 12:30)

• Summing up the odds:
  “Victory is highly unlikely...But let’s wait and see.” (A, 14:05)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Overview of Kohberger’s case and plea deal: 00:01–03:11
• Discussion of public reaction to plea deal: 01:30–02:40
• Details of Kohberger's claims for post-conviction relief: 03:11–13:30
• Reading/analysis of Kohberger and judge plea hearing exchange: 07:35–10:57
• Breakdown of legal standards and likely outcomes: 13:31–14:40

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Summary

This update episode dives into Bryan Kohberger’s attempt to undo his guilty plea, examining his arguments, the legal basis for post-conviction relief, and dissecting their plausibility. The hosts—keeping their characteristic dark humor and critical eye—emphasize the transparency of the plea process, Kohberger’s implausible claims, and the unlikelihood of his success. For listeners seeking clarity on the ongoing saga of the Idaho student murders, this episode provides both a legal primer and a critical, no-nonsense commentary.

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Further Listening

• Want more detail on the original case? Check out RedHanded Episode 280: The Idaho Student Murders.

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[Note: This summary covers only the main content and discussion. Ad spots and non-content segments are omitted.]

Transcript

[A]

Okay, let's talk about Bryan Kohberger, because almost exactly a year ago, back in July 2025, he pleaded guilty to the Idaho student murders, which were, of course, the 2022 killings of Kaylee Gonzalves, Ethan Chapin, Zana Canodle, and Madison Mogen. Kohberger took this plea deal to avoid the death penalty, and instead, he received life without parole. Now, at the time, if you remember, Hannah, a lot of people, including some of the victims families, were not happy that this plea deal was offered to him. They wanted a trial. They wanted, you know, all of the evidence out there. They wanted their day in court, which, like, obviously was a feeling that we understood why they felt that way. But also, we did also think that the state made the right decision to get this plea deal and shut this thing down. Like, just get him in prison. Like, let's let. Let's get this over with. And he. He took the plea deal. He took the plea deal. I still stand by the fact that I do think it was the right thing. Why would you drag four families through a trial if the defendant is willing to take a plea deal? But the downside of a plea deal does mean that, you know, all of the evidence wasn't put under the microscope publicly because there wasn't a trial. So there's always going to be that lingering thing. And there's been a lot of chatter on the Internet about people being like, they don't really think Brian Kohberger is a killer. Obviously, that's just the day and age that we live in, and people want to see conspiracy theories everywhere. Obviously, not all conspiracy theories are right. We owe that man an apology. Yes. Yes. It's very much like, you know, did Casey Anthony really do it even though she had a fucking trial? That's always the danger when you don't have a trial and people feel like it's this backroom deal that was done. And also, there's obviously the danger that the person who took the plea deal might later on turn around and say, there were all these other reasons that this actually happened and, you know, scream victim. Now, obviously, we know that when Bryan Kohberger took this plea deal, he also waived his right to any appeals. So we thought, this is it. This is it. He cannot say anything in the future. It's deal done. But Bryan Kohberger, a year on from taking that plea deal, has changed his mind, and he is claiming now that he was tricked and he wants to take it all back. I was reading about this the other day. I think. I think he's just bored. Yeah, I'm looking life down the barrel here. I might as well think of something to do. Yeah, some of us learn to crochet. Brian. The reality of just sitting in a cell every single day for an entire year and realizing that he's only in his 30s and this could be a very long road ahead for him is maybe starting to hit home a little bit. I hear you scream. Dear listeners, he pleaded guilty on all counts and like we said, he waived his right to appeal. Who on earth cares if he changed his mind or is saying all this stuff? Does any of this matter? The thing is, Bryan Kohberger is seeking what's known as post conviction relief. And this is a process that allows individuals to challenge a criminal conviction or sentence outside of regular direct appeals. And people can use it, even those people who have waived their right to appeal. So he is well within his legal rights to try and use this, this remedy, quote, unquote remedy. And it basically, a post conviction relief petition seeks to address constitutional violations, lack of court jurisdiction, or new evidence. But the thing to make very clear about this is that the standard, as you can imagine, the bar is very, very, very high. To win via this route in Idaho, Bryan Kohberger would actually have to show that there was a constitutional violation or a manifest injustice in order to be able to make this a success, which will not be easy. So let's take a little look at the two page, handwritten sworn affidavit that Kohberger has released in which he outlines his three key issues with what happened to him. So basically, he's like, everything you guys saw with me, you know, confessing to it at that plea hearing, etcetera, you don't know what went down behind the scenes. And this is what went down. So, number one, he says that his counsel failed to inform him about clumps of unknown hair found in Ethan Chapin's hands. He says, no one told me. My defense attorneys did not tell me that they found unknown hair in Ethan Chapin's hats. That is potentially exculpatory evidence. And I did not know about it. But the thing is, the defence don't have to tell Bryan Kohberger. That's not the standard in a legal sense. His lawyers knew about the clumps of hair that were found in Ethan Chapin's hands and they even hired an expert to analyze them. And I think that the hairs didn't have, like the follicles attached to it, so they couldn't do DNA testing. But what this expert did was analyze the hairs, compare it to Ethan Chapin's own hair, compare it to Bryan Kohberger's hair. And basically the report that his defence counsel got six months before the plea deal shows that this person said that the hair looked like it was a match for Ethan Chapin's own hair. So it's kind of a dead end. Like they can't test it against anything. And this is the point, is that Bryan Kohberger in his letter is saying, they didn't tell me. That's not the standard. The only concern for the court would be was the defence counsel effective? And he could have said they were ineffective if they hadn't had the hair analysed or tested. But they did six months before the plea deal. So they did their jobs just because they weren't telling Brian Kohberger everything, allegedly, according to him. Second point that Bryan Kohberger makes is he claims that he was convinced that actual guilt was. Was not an important part of accepting the guilty plea. Yes. He says that he was advised by his defence attorneys to enter a false plea of guilty to gain the legal victory of being taken off death row. Do you know about no contest, Brian? He's basically saying, my lawyers knew that I was not guilty. And they told me. They told me to lie. They told me to enter a false plea. They told me to lie to the court. Because obviously, obviously a defence counsel. What they're going to do is they're going to look at all of the evidence that the state has against their client. They're going to look at it and they're going to be like, okay, this is where we could poke some holes in it. We're going to run our own investigation. This is where we think we could win, you know, 50, 50 maybe, but, like, you're all stronger, whatever. Don't tell me if you're guilty or innocent. I don't care. This is what I'm dealing with. At most, what they might say, and of course this happens, is they're going to look at all the evidence and be like, look, I know you're telling me you didn't do it, but I got to tell you, this doesn't look good for you. We are not going to win in court. We're not. There's too much evidence that makes you look really fucking guilty. So if I were you, I'd take the plea deal because this is. There's no way. There's no way. He's saying that's not what they said. He's saying, we know you're innocent. But you should take this plea deal anyway, because it's a legal victory for you if you do. And the problem with this is it's a lie. It's a lie, and it directly contradicts what was said by Bryan Kohberger himself, as well as what was said by his lawyers in front of him at the plea hearing when he pleaded guilty.

[B]

Mr. Kohberger, I need to ask you some questions this afternoon. I do this so that I am assured that you understand the nature of the charges to which I understand you're going to plead guilty, as well as the plea possible consequences to you of your guilty pleas. I want to make sure your plea is given voluntarily, and I want to make sure that you actually committed the crimes to which you're pleading guilty, because I don't want you to plead guilty to a crime you didn't commit. If you attempt to plead guilty today, but for some reason I don't accept your plea, then it is possible that your statements today could be used against you later at trial. Do you understand that? Yes. Have you consumed any alcohol, drug, or other intoxicating substance that would impair your ability to understand or. Or exercise reasonable judgment? No. You feel like you are thinking clearly today? Yes. You've heard the plea agreement that I talked about today. Do you agree with that plea agreement? Yes. And do you understand the nature of the charges that you've been charged with that I understand. You're going to plead guilty today, too? Yes. Has anyone promised you that I would be lenient or easy on you if you pled guilty? No. Has anyone threatened you or anyone close to you to get you to plead guilty? No. Has anyone other than the state's agreements with respect to the plea agreement, has anyone promised you anything in exchange for your plea agreement? No. Has anyone told you to be untruthful in answering my questions today? No. Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? Yes. Have you had enough time to decide whether or not to plead guilty? Yes. Are you pleading guilty freely and voluntarily?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Given your choices, do you believe it's in your best interest to plead guilty?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Have you discussed fully the matter of pleading guilty with your attorney, and are you satisfied with the advice you've received? Yes. Has your attorney advised you to your satisfaction about what your rights are, what your defenses may be, and what the possible consequences to you of your guilty plea are? Yes. Has your attorney done everything you've asked them to do?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Are you satisfied with their representation of you?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Let me ask you, did you on 11-13-2022, enter the residence at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, with the intent to commit the felony crime of murder? Yes. Did you, on November 13, 2022, in Lato county, state of Idaho, kill and murder Madison Mogan, a human being? Yes. And did you do that willfully, unlawfully, deliberately, and with premeditation and malice aforethought? Yes. Did you Honor, about that same date in Moscow, Idaho, kill and murder Kaylee Gonsalves, a human being? Yes. And did you do that willfully, unlawfully, deliberately, and with premeditation and malice aforethought? Yes. And did you, on that same date in Moscow, Idaho, kill and murder Zanna Kernodle, Pardon me, a human being? Yes. And did you do that willfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation and malice aforethought?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And then on or about November 13, 2022, again in Lato County, Idaho, did you kill and murder Ethan Chapin, a human being?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Did you do that willfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation and malice aforethought?

[A]

Yes. He very specifically admits to all of the murders, and the judge makes it very, very clear. Is anybody coercing you? Have you been made any promises? Is anything nefarious? And he's like, nope, nope. There's no ambiguity. There's no ambiguity. And I'm sorry, Brian Goberger can't stand here and also invoke something like, I don't know, a diminished mental capacity or anything like that. He was studying criminal justice or something. Or, yes, criminal psychology. I can't even remember. Something that made everybody think he was a genius. And I'm like, really? Okay. There's no way he didn't understand what was being presented to him. Then we come on to number three. A gross misrepresentation of what a life sentence would afford Bryan Kohberger, and an elaborate and fabricated story of what life on death row would be like. So basically, just to clarify, he is saying that his lawyers lied to him about what taking the plea deal of life without parole would mean for him and what his life would look like in prison versus what life on death row would look like. And he said that they elaborated it. They fabricated how bad death row was going to be to try and force him to take life without parole. He's basically saying that his lawyers tricked and threatened and, like, fabricated all these stories to manipulate him into taking this plea deal. And again, it's not entirely clear exactly what he's saying by an elaborate and fabricated story, but it seems like this is what he's implying is that his lawyers filled his head with nightmarish visions of what life on death row would look like, and they lied to him, forcing him to take the plea deal. Now, it's not clear what they apparently lied to him about. It's likely that his lawyers told him, look, we're not going to win this case. The state has too much evidence. And if you go to death row, the conditions are much worse there than being in a regular prison. And that's true. The cells are smaller, your conditions are worse. You might not even get outside yard time. You might be in solitary confinement a lot of the time. The conditions are objectively worse on death row than in a general prison that he would have been held in if he took life for that parole. His lawyers, absolutely. That is their job, to explain those things to him. It is. And let's be honest, I know as Idaho, they may not have got around to executing him for decades. They may never have even executed him. So then, really, isn't it your lawyer's job to tell you, if we go to trial, you are most likely going to be found guilty because the evidence that we have seen that the state have against you, and if you do, they have death on the table. And you will spend most likely the rest of your life behind bars on death row, where the circumstances of your life will be much worse. You may as well take the plea deal and spend the rest of your life without parole in a general prison in which your conditions will be better. That is their job to tell him that. But he's saying, they scared me, they manipulated me. They told me all these horror stories about death row, and that's why I took the plea deal. I just looked up, he was doing a PhD in criminology when he was arrested. So you can't tell me you didn't know about death row conditions, Brian. And also you can't tell me you didn't understand what you were pleading guilty to. The judge is like, are you pleading guilty to the murders of. And then he goes through each victim's name, and he's like, yep, yep. Like, this is bonkers. What's gonna happen next? We don't know. Let's wait and see. Maybe. Maybe there will be an evidentiary hearing in which the judge will allow Brian Koberger to testify as to these three points that he's raised. We'll probably hear from his lawyers defending themselves against some of these claims that he's made. But like I said, for him to win, the plea has to be proven to be constitutionally biased or the judge would have to believe that had these issues not existed in Bryan Kohberger's pre plea life with his attorneys, then he would have rejected the plea and gone on to a trial. In the first instance, they would have to prove that these things directly led to him taking the plea. But again, I just think it's highly unlikely that he will win. But let's wait and see. And if you want to hear our original episode on the Idaho Student Murders, then head on over to red handed. Episode 280. The best summer pieces are the ones you end up wearing on repeat. Comfortable, versatile, and somehow right for almost every occasion. That's why I love Quince. 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