Judge unseals transcript of closed-door hearing in murder case

A judge in Idaho overseeing the case against student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has just made a BIG decision.

The judge has announced that he will release a redacted transcript from a closed-door hearing that took place last week, after he initially barred the public and the media from attending.

Ada County Judge Steven Hippler has made the rare move to reverse his decision to keep the transcript from the closed-door hearing sealed, and he's released the transcript to both the prosecution and the defense so that they could recommend redactions.

"The parties will have fourteen (14) days to identify those portions of the transcript that should be redacted from public disclosure, providing a basis for the same," the judge said. "Thereafter, the Court will release to the public a redacted transcript of the previously closed portion of the hearing."

The closed-door hearing regarded forensic investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) evidence that the defendant's lawyers wanted to be thrown out.

At a two-day public proceeding that followed the closed-door hearing, they had argued that the FBI violated Kohberger's Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Judge Hippler didn't seem to be buying the defense's argument that collecting evidence at a crime scene infringed upon Kohberger's rights.

"I struggle with the idea that DNA left at a crime scene, that there's any expectation of privacy," Hippler told Anne Taylor, Kohberger's lead defense attorney.

Hippler did not agree that the IGG techniques violated Kohberger's rights and questioned whether the defendant should be allowed to challenge an investigatory tactic.

"It wasn't his DNA that was searched," Hippler said. "At best, it was his ancestors."

Boise-based defense attorney Edwina Elcox said that she and others closely following the case are very interested in these soon-to-be-released transcripts.

"I can’t imagine that there isn’t really eye-opening information contained in that transcript," she said.

"I think we will learn what the state has been fighting so hard to keep from the defense and the public," she added.