A judge in Idaho has turned down a request from prosecutors to administer a personality test to Brian Coberger, who stands accused of first-degree murder in the deaths of four University of Idaho students: Kaylee Goncalves, Zana Carnodor, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin. Judge Stephen Hippler pointed to time constraints in his decision, suggesting that any new insights or diagnoses from such tests might necessitate further examination.
In his ruling, Hippler expressed concerns that personality assessments could uncover undisclosed mental health issues, which could infringe on Coberger’s privacy. This means that his defense team will be barred from using testimony regarding a potential personality disorder during the trial.
The judge did, however, extend the deadline for prosecutors to finalize their rebuttal disclosures, allowing them more time to conduct behavioral health evaluations. This comes as the prosecution aims to challenge claims from defense experts regarding Coberger potentially having autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Hippler set a new deadline of May 27 for this report but noted that the defense would not be permitted to witness the mental health evaluations.
Timeline for November 13, 2022:
- 4:00 AM: Suspect arrives home.
- Between 4:00 AM and 4:17 AM: Time of the murders.
- 4:19 AM: Roommate calls the victims; there’s no response.
- 4:22-4:24 AM: Surviving roommates text each other from inside the house.
- 4:27 AM: Roommate calls the victims again; still no response.
- 4:32 AM: Roommate texts Goncalves saying, “pls ness.”
- 10:23 AM: Roommate texts surviving friends; no one responds.
- 11:39 AM: Roommate calls father.
- 12:00 PM: 911 call made from the roommate’s phone.
Additionally, the judge ruled that family members of Coberger can stay in the courtroom during the trial, despite some being called as witnesses by prosecutors. Earlier in April, Hippler dismissed attempts by Coberger’s defense to exclude the death penalty from the proceedings.
In response to questions from the defense about the volume of evidence presented by the prosecution, Hippler remarked that Coberger’s complaints were “ring hollow.” It seems there’s an ongoing complexity to this case that continues to unfold.
