Kohberger's Lawyers Warned the Judge About WHAT?!

Bryan Kohberger's former defense team had already raised concerns about his ability to process the case before he accepted the plea deal that sent him to prison for life. A filing unsealed on September 22, 2026, says his lawyers told Judge Steven Hippler that Kohberger was struggling to rationally understand adverse rulings and what those rulings meant for his options. 

The defense did not tell the court he was incompetent. Instead, they asked for additional time and expert assistance so they could communicate with him about major choices, including whether to testify, continue toward trial or resolve the case. The court denied the continuance, and six days later Kohberger pleaded guilty to four murders and burglary. 

That timing now sits inside Kohberger's effort to undo the plea. His new attorney, Greg Rauch, says the sequence does not automatically make the plea unconstitutional. He argues it creates a factual issue about whether Kohberger had enough time and help to understand the position he was in when he made the decision. 

The legal filing arrives alongside a very public family statement. Kohberger's parents and sisters say they support his post-conviction challenge and want the full truth tested in court. Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to examine what it means when a family publicly validates a convicted relative's new innocence claim after he admitted guilt under oath. 

Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole plus ten years for burglary. An October 15 hearing will address his request for a new judge and venue, followed by a June 17, 2027 evidentiary hearing on post-conviction relief. The dispute is no longer just about what he says now. It is also about what his own lawyers told the court before he entered the guilty pleas. 

Listen Anywhere You Get Podcasts: https://pod.link/1655749292 
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod?sub_confirmation=1 
Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ 
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ 
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod 
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod 

This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. 

#BryanKohberger #KohbergerCase #HiddenKillers #IdahoMurders #GuiltyPlea #PostConvictionRelief #ShavaunScott #JudgeHippler #MoscowIdaho #TrueCrime