An Idaho judge has lifted a sweeping gag order in Bryan Kohberger’s quadruple murder case

BOISE Idaho AP An Idaho judge lifted a sweeping gag order Thursday in Bryan Kohberger s quadruple murder matter Bryan Kohberger avoided a anticipated death sentence by pleading guilty earlier this month to the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students at a rental home near campus in A coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press had urged the court to lift the gag order since a trial is no longer planned They renewed their request after Kohberger pleaded guilty During a hearing Thursday morning th District Judge Steven Hippler agreed that lifting the gag order would protect the First Amendment rights of the residents and press The primary purpose of the non-dissemination order which is to ensure that we can seat an impartial jury is no longer at play Hippler disclosed He noted he couldn t not justify continuing the gag order because the constituents has the right to receive information about the occurrence and those rights are paramount A different judge in Moscow Idaho originally issued the gag order early in the occurrence saying additional publicity could harm Kohberger s right to a fair trial Kohberger admitted to urgent into the rental home through a sliding door and killing the four friends who had no connection with him Prosecutors stated he spent months attentively planning the attack and that his studies as a criminal justice graduate learner at Washington State University helped him take efforts to cover up his tracks