Bryan Kohberger, convicted of stabbing and killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, has filed a petition for post‑conviction relief. The petition seeks to withdraw the guilty plea he entered last year in exchange for a potential death‑penalty dismissal.
In the handwritten petition, Kohberger alleges that members of his immediate family were present during attorney‑client discussions. He claims that this presence influenced the outcome of those conversations.
According to the petition, Kohberger was convinced to falsely confess. He argues that his defense team failed to disclose exculpatory evidence that could have impacted the case.
Kohberger contends that justice was not served and that the plea was fundamentally broken. He maintains that the legal process was compromised.
The petition also accuses attorneys of misrepresenting the conditions of Idaho’s death row. He alleges that one attorney fabricated a story about touring an actual death‑row cell.
He says the fabricated information was used to frighten and pressure him into accepting the plea deal. This claim suggests coercion during the plea negotiations.
On Wednesday, a district judge granted Kohberger’s request for court‑appointed counsel. The judge instructed the state public defender’s office to appoint a new attorney for all post‑conviction proceedings.
The case remains under review as the appointed counsel prepares to address the allegations and petition for the withdrawal of the guilty plea.
