The defense team for Idaho quadruple murder suspect Brian Koberger called a surprise witness Thursday, signaling their attempt to poke holes in the prosecution’s evidence that Koberger was at the scene of the brutal murders.
Koberger’s defense team called Moscow police detective Lawrence Mowery to the witness stand to question whether the prosecution had done enough to turn over evidence to the defense.
Public defender Ann Taylor grilled Morley about cell tower data collected as part of the investigation into the November 2022 murder.
She asked the defense to detail the process they used to gather data that prosecutors are using to argue is responsible for the murders of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Madison Morgen, Kaylee Gonsalves and Zana Kernodle.
Cellphone data showing Koberger near the off-campus home where the students were stabbed to death was one of the main pieces of evidence that led to his indictment in the murders that shocked the nation.
During Thursday’s hearing, Mowery was asked whether he ever deleted any files during the investigation and whether the evidence he presented to the defense represented the full extent of the cellphone data collected during the investigation.
Despite lengthy cross-examination, the state made no substantive arguments against the defense’s arguments that evidence was withheld. According to KHQ.
Koberger’s defense team contends that prosecutors withheld evidence that could be crucial to Koberger’s defense.
“The state knows full well what it has and what it is hiding from us,” Taylor said at a hearing earlier this month. According to the Idaho Statesman.
“I don’t know what they’re going to show me, but I know they exist.”
Prosecutors have argued that Koberger’s vehicle was a white Hyundai Elantra seen on at least four videos near the victim’s home on the night of the murder, but the defense has complained that the footage from those drives has not been made public in its entirety.
The defence of the 29-year-old criminology graduate student claims they have cell phone data that proves his innocence.
They previously sought to have the case dismissed for lack of evidence but were unsuccessful.
