Bryan Kohberger seeks to scrap Idaho murder guilty plea

Bryan Kohberger has asked a court to let him withdraw his guilty plea for the murders of four University of Idaho students, claiming his lawyers pressured him into accepting a deal that spared him the death penalty.

The handwritten filing marks a dramatic new twist in one of America's most closely watched murder cases, with Kohberger now seeking a full trial despite previously admitting guilt in court.

Claims of Pressure and Broken Promises

Kohberger, 31, filed the petition from Idaho Maximum Security Penitentiary, where he is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole for the 2022 killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.

He alleges his legal team manipulated him by promising favourable prison conditions and exaggerating what life on death row would be like. Kohberger also claims his lawyers failed to properly review evidence, including what he described as an "unknown hair" found in Ethan Chapin's hand.

He further alleges his attorneys told him his guilty plea "need not be truthful" despite his continued claims of innocence.

Court Record Contradicts New Claims

The application stands in stark contrast to Kohberger's statements during his July 2025 plea hearing. At the time, he repeatedly confirmed under oath that he was pleading guilty freely, voluntarily and because he was guilty.

Court documents also show he denied receiving any undisclosed promises or being coerced into accepting the agreement. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed not to pursue the death penalty, recommending four consecutive life sentences and an additional 10-year prison term.

High Legal Hurdle Ahead

Under Idaho law, Kohberger must now prove "manifest injustice" to overturn his plea after sentencing. That requires convincing the court his plea was involuntary or that serious constitutional violations undermined the case.

His defence team had spent more than two years attempting to remove the death penalty from consideration, challenging DNA evidence, raising his autism diagnosis and suggesting another suspect may have been involved. Those efforts failed before the plea agreement was reached just weeks before trial.

Lead defence lawyer Anne Taylor declined to comment on the latest filing. The court must now decide whether Kohberger's new claims are sufficient to reopen a case many believed had already reached its conclusion.

Bryan Kohberger seeks to withdraw guilty plea in Idaho student murders | AP News