current case.
Brian Koberger wants to withdraw his guilty plea. Now he also wants another judge. ⠀.
Brian Koberger is serving four consecutive life sentences for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.
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He pleaded guilty in July 2025, avoiding the death penalty.
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Now he's fighting to get that lawsuit overturned.
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In new legal filings, his defense argues that Judge Steven Hipler should be removed from the post-conviction proceedings.
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The reason? Comments made by Hippler during the sentencing included calling Koberger a "faceless coward," along with concerns about the jurors' apparent emotional reaction.
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Koberger also claims that his previous legal representation left him under pressure to accept the plea deal.
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The plaintiffs oppose the challenge and maintain that the argument is valid.
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A hearing previously scheduled for Oct. 15 was canceled, leaving the next phase of the case uncertain.
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Nothing turned over. Kuhberger's convictions and sentences remain.
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And withdrawing from prosecution could carry a serious risk: if a new trial is granted, the death penalty could return as an option.
⠀ Watch: Surviving the Survivor examines the legal battle with criminal law experts. ⠀.