BOISE, Idaho – The sentencing hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who confessed to killing four University of Idaho students nearly two and a half years ago, is scheduled for tomorrow. NonStop Local’s John Webb is en route to Boise to cover the event.
The hearing will begin Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time. Kohberger is expected to appear in a jail jumpsuit. According to Idaho criminal defense attorney Jim Seabee, Judge Stephen Hippler will start the hearing by confirming the readiness of both the prosecution and defense to proceed with sentencing.
Victim impact statements will follow. Kristi Goncalves confirmed they will be present to give a statement, while the Chapin family will not be in attendance nor providing a statement. Other families have yet to be heard from. The judge may set time limits for each statement, but this remains uncertain.
The judge will then deliver the sentence. Seabee mentioned it would be surprising if Kohberger speaks, as he has maintained his right to remain silent.
Post-sentencing, Kohberger will be sent to an Idaho prison. According to Tarima Carlin, an Idaho prison warden, Kohberger will undergo a resident classification—a diagnostic test to determine his security level. Carlin suggested Kohberger might be placed in either medium custody or administrative segregation.
In medium custody, Kohberger would have a single cell with limited inmate contact and access to a day room. In administrative segregation, he would have similar conditions but only three hours in the day room. Inmates in this category typically share a housing unit with about 30 others and are fed there.
Carlin also noted that Kohberger might eventually return to the general population, depending on his behavior and the prison’s location. Due to overcrowding in Idaho prisons, some inmates have been relocated to other states. Carlin stated that any decision to transfer Kohberger would be made by the director.
