July 23, 2025 • 19 mins
Today the victims’ families will be able to speak directly to the PHD student who brutally stabbed 4 University of Idaho students to death while they slept. But the big question… will Bryan Kohberger finally address the court and explain WHY he committed the heinous crimes? Even President Trump has weighed in, asking the Judge to force him to make a statement.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, folks, It's July twenty third, and today the man
who killed four University of Idaho students has an opportunity
in open court to finally answer the question why why
did he kill those four students? He has an opportunity
to tell us, But will he? And with that, welcome
(00:25):
to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Robes.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Not a lot of mystery in the sentencing of Coburger today,
But here we are three years later, and we still
don't have any idea why he killed these kids.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
And as excruciating as it is for the families, the
parents of these four students to just accept the fact
that their loved ones are gone and we're brutally murdered,
but to have no idea why is just adding insult
to injury. And so these families, with the exception of
one of the victims' families, will be in court first
(00:59):
of all together their own impact statements, their own victim
impact statements.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
This is their first.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Chance to directly address Brian Koberger, the man who has
been well, he's now pleaded guilty to murdering these four students,
to tell them the impact he's had on their lives,
to tell them the lives he took away and took
from this world. But yes, they're also hoping to hear
something from him. They all want to know what his
(01:26):
motive was, and right now no one knows.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
We all remember the crime was shocking, horrific enough at
the time, but you're looking for an answer, like what
was going on? What was the relationship even to these kids?
There was none apparently that we can all tell. But
it was so horrific. And here we are three years
later that the family is finally there won't be a trial,
and some were relieved, we don't have to have a trial.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
And some were upset about it.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And some were upset. But this was supposed to be
some type of finality, right when people finally, when victims'
families finally see the person who's responsible go to prison,
the trial is over, supposed to be the end of it,
never be over until they get this answer. How could
they ever rest in peace, quite frankly, until their families
(02:08):
have some kind of finality and understanding about why this
man did this.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
That's right, one legal expert said.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Today could be if we did hear from Brian Coberger,
and we did hear something, this could be what amounts
to a legal funeral of sorts where you actually do
get closure, and you do get answers, and you can
finally put all of those gnawing, nagging questions to bed.
But let's just take you back to November thirteenth, twenty
twenty two, where Kaylee Goncales, Madison, Mogen Xana Kernodle, and
(02:37):
Ethan Chapin were there in this off campus house. They
were students there at the University of Idaho, and they
were stabbed to death at their residence in the middle
of the night. There were two other roommates there that
evening who managed to survive, and one of them actually
did and was able to tell police that she saw
a masked man walking through their apartment. Those two roommates
(03:01):
may also speak today. There's some anticipation that they may
get up and address Brian Coberger as well, but ultimately
DNA evidence from a sheath from the knife he used
linked him directly to the crime, along with the online
purchase of that knife and the sheath. They had surveillance
video of his vehicle in the area and his own
cell phone pinged to that tower nearby the site of
(03:23):
the killing, so they had a lot of evidence, and
they were seeking the prosecutors were seeking the death penalty,
and at least one family member of one family wanted
to see him put to death. They didn't want him
to have life in prison, and they wanted a trial,
and they wanted answers.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
They were hoping information would come out in that trial.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The trial was going to happen up until a couple
of months ago, because up until a couple of months
ago he was still maintaining at least a not guilty
plea in court and the trial was going to happen.
They made an attempt in April at least to try
to get the death penalty off the table. His defense
lawyers did because he was recently diagnosed with autism asd
(04:01):
autism spectrum disorder, and they made a case that, hey,
because he has this, the Supreme Court is saying that
this would amount a cruel and unusual punishment, the death
penalty for someone who has this now. Uh huh. The
judge rejected that, yes, he has whatever autism now, but
that is not going to stop the prosecution from seeking
the death penalty, And then negotiations started with the prosecution
(04:22):
about pleading guilty and he is pled guilty. Four life sentences,
no possibility of parole now short of the death penalty.
That is as tough of a sentence as you're going
to get, and it's not enough.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Some people want their day in court.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And look, this was a bit of a surprise guilty
plead to a lot of people. It happened on July seconds,
so just a couple weeks ago. And yes, he is
going to prison for the rest of his life. But
some family members are upset with prosecutors over the deal.
They wanted input, they wanted to have a say and
whether or not they were okay with that deal or not.
So they were upset that they didn't get their day
(04:56):
in court, which was supposed to be August eleventh, and
this trial was supposed to last for three months. This
was going to be a very public spectacle.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
But they were hoping to.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Get a lot of information out because there had been
a gag order for the last two and a half
years and investigators were barred from sharing information or releasing
anything not only to the public, but to the victims'
families as well, so they have been in the dark.
I watched an interview with one of the families who said,
we don't even know how many times our daughter was stabbed.
We don't even know where she was stabbed, we don't
(05:25):
know how long it took. They want to know these details.
I know it sounds macab, but when it's your child
and you want to know, you want to know what
happened to them. And many of these families they don't
know specifically know their child was stabbed to death. And
that's it.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
That's where it begins and ends.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
It's been three years, folks, and so much of what
happens in trials. Yes, prosecutors want to hold on to information,
want to keep it out of the public, but when
the trial comes, all that stuff comes out. We're not
having a trial. So now we're wondering, and they are
pressing for prosecutors to start, like immediately releasing this information
(06:02):
so that they could finally get some closure, maybe some
finality with all this. But some families today do not
want this to be happening. They don't want a sentencing hearing,
they want information, they wanted a trial, they wanted the
death penalty on the table. Can't take issue with the
other family with however they feel right now. But today
(06:22):
is a very important day. He has an opportunity to speak.
We don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
If he will yes.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
And this is all happening at eleven am Eastern time.
This is when the hearing is going to begin, and
folks have been lined up, people camped out overnight the
public to try and get into this trial.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
There is tremendous public interest. They say. There's at least.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Fifty people deep waiting in line to get into that
court and have been for hours to see what happens today.
But this is going to be live streamed. There are
reporters in the courtroom and we're certainly going to be
following it. And this may be so extensive that it
carries on until Thursday. So this could be a two
day sentencing hearing because the judge wants to make sure
every single person who wants to speak, who wants to
(07:03):
address Brian Coberger, gets the opportunity to and apparently there
are quite a few victim impact statements that the court
is expecting.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I didn't see a list. Is there official count I
didn't see.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I didn't see it either.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I just know that they because it's just been they've
been expecting and some there. I think the family I
believe the family of Ethan he they said they will
not be there, and you know that's that's just such
a personal decision whether you could even stand to be
in that courtroom. And some people, some of the family
members say, you know, wild horses couldn't.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Hold them back. They will be there and they will
be making statements.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Coburger, I think he's been described. Yes he has autism.
That was a recent diagnosis, but he has been described
in court and when he's just a soft spoke and
he doesn't seem to be a very outgoing individual. I
don't know how much that has to do with the autism,
but the argument that that could have kept him from
from possibly getting the death penalty. The confusion, I say confusion.
It's just he didn't know these kids. He was in
(07:57):
school nearby. I think I don't think it was more
than a twenty mile plus distance he was from, and
I don't have that right, but he was close by.
I mean, he was going to another school. Why he
knew them, why he showed up, and why he did
what he did. He attacked two of the students, I
believe it was two women to the young ladies first,
and authorities did come out at one point and say yes,
(08:21):
it appears that he attacked and stabbed a couple of
them while they were still asleep. So the two that
were left, there were two other housemates, one of them
you mentioned saw him. I cannot imagine how they feel
and the answers now they want why were we spared?
That is going to be with them the rest of
their lives. So it is so key today. This is
(08:43):
important for these families to have an opportunity, but this
is a huge moment for these families for the rest
of their lives and how it's going to go. Is
he going to choose to speak? Folks? We still you
remember that case. The first question who is it? It
took him six weeks to find them, by the way
before he was arrested.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Who is it why? So there is not even I
don't even see a lot of speculation, just makings why
would he do this? The four people he did not know?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Right, he was a PhD student, so a smart kid.
He might have been socially awkward and yes, recently diagnosed
with autism. But nothing makes sense, and that's why so
many people are so I don't want to use the
word fascinated, but perhaps it is a morbid curiosity because
people always and look, oftentimes, the why is never a
good enough answer. I've learned this. I know you probably
(09:36):
have two covering crimes for so many years.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
It's always the first.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Thing families want to know, and frankly, everyone wants to
know why, and just oftentimes there isn't a good answer,
and sometimes there's never an answer, and that's so hard
to accept a motive.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
This is completely mind bob. You remember how horrific it
was at the time when this happened to thinking, I mean,
there were all kinds of theories about who could it be.
You remember the police told people for a while, you
know what, there's no threat to the public. You're cool.
They came back later and said, you know what, remember
when we said that, we're not sure.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, They're like, this was a targeted attack. No one
should be worried, look anyone. I mean, I have a
daughter going back to school in a couple of weeks.
Every single parent who sends their child off to college,
it's it's such a scary time in life because you've
been protecting them, you've been around them, you've been guiding them.
You know where they are when they're coming, when they're going,
suddenly they launch off to school. And so yes, this
(10:34):
is every single parent's worst nightmare as they're sending their
kids off to college. What if they're not safe? What
if they're not protected? So for those police officers to say, hey,
your kids are fine, there's no one on the loose. Yeah,
it took six weeks and he was actually arrested at
his parents' home in Pennsylvania, driven.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Across the country. He had driven cross the country home.
I think didn't he drive with.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
His dad on that?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I believe, so, yes, yes, there are so many questions
and it actually look everyone wants to know. But actually
President Trump weighed in on this case earlier in the
week as well, And welcome back everyone to this edition
(11:18):
of Amy and TJ. We are focused on this sentencing
hearing that is happening today. All eyes are on a
courtroom in in Idaho. Brian Coberger is going to be
formally sentenced. He is going to be pleading guilty to
four murder charges. He is The sentencing has already pretty
much been determined. He's going to get four consecutive life sentences.
(11:39):
He is going to prison for the rest of his life.
But the big the big moment today could be if
we hear from Brian specifically. Everyone wants to know why
he committed these heinous crimes, stabbing these four innocent college
students to death while they were sleeping in their off
campus home. He's been linked to the attack, he's admitted
(12:00):
to the murders, and yet no one knows why they occurred.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yeah, this is I know, you're just talking about a
moment ago. It was six of them, right, six of
them living in the house, and you talk about folks
in their kids off to college and just the idea,
that's exactly what Anna Lease experience her first year is school.
How many were in that house?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Seven?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
She had seven kids in a house?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Coming up this year is going to be how many
I think.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
She's doing six, five or six. But yes, it's a
big house filled with kids. You feel like they're safe,
safety in numbers, they're else And there were boys and
girls in the house, so that actually makes me feel
safer to know she's got guys there. But that didn't
protect these kids on that night from Brian Coberg.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Since sleep in the middle of the night, going to
a house people you don't know and kill them why
with just why why why? Why? Why? The family is
desperate for this answer. And you were talking before we
uh hopped onto that break that. Yeah, even the President
has chimed in on this and Robes the president is
having the same thought it seems the rest of us
(13:00):
are having.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
He certainly is.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
He has taken to truth social and he has put
out several statements. But one of them he said, I
hope the judge makes Coburger at a minimum explain why
he did these horrible murders. There are no explanations, there
is no nothing. People were shocked that he was able
to plea bargain, but the judge should make him explain
(13:22):
what happened. I mean that I think would have maybe
made some of these family members feel a little bit
better if the deal had been struck between prosecutors and
the defense. Okay, fine, you can plead guilty. We'll take
the death penalty off the table, but we want you
in open court to explain why you did what you did.
I'm wondering why they didn't go that route, you.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Know what, because maybe they didn't discuss it with the
family ahead of time, Right, did they get a say
in this? Oftentimes this is the case. Prosecutors are good
about this, and I'm not sure what they did in
this particular instance, but that had to be something. You know,
families would have insisted. This is a part of the
plea deal. You gotta speak, Yeah, you got to tell
us what's happening. Short of that, I don't believe the
(14:02):
George the judge can order him to do anything.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Well, I don't think the judge can either, but I
believe as a part of a deal, you absolutely could
have that be a condition and he could have taken
it lately or left it, and so I just I
really wonder why they didn't go that route, because that's
tough because a lot of legal experts will tell you
because his sentencing has already been determined, he's already going
(14:26):
to prison for the rest of his life, he really
doesn't have an incentive to speak. There's no reason why
he has to speak, and so if they're not into
rehabilitating him or even understanding him at this point, he
really doesn't have to say one thing. And so people
are saying there's a fifty to fifty chance that he speaks. Well, okay,
anybody could say that, but I don't know that anything
(14:46):
he could say. Imagine I'm putting myself in the shoes
of those parents. I can't imagine there's anything he could
say that would make me feel any better or have
any more closure.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
About what happened to my child. I do know that.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
One of the girl's parents said, if he said he
was sorry, if he apologized, it would matter, It would
make a difference. It would feel like they got something
from him. But most folks are doubtful that is going
to happen.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
But anything could happen.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
And again, this we don't know at what point he
gets the opportunity to speak, or the judge will say,
do you have anything to say?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
It's right, it's the last thing, right before the judge
issues the sentence.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
And so if you're looking at and we're expecting quite
a few people to get up and give these victim
impact statements. And there has been some belief that this
may go into day two until tomorrow, so we may
not even he may not even get the chance to
speak or not to speak until tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
But this is certainly going to be interesting.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
And I mean, my heart's actually beating fast imagining that
anticipation or waiting to see or waiting to hear or
wanting to know if he's going to tell me what
happened to my child?
Speaker 1 (15:52):
What was the one I'm sorry you said? They said,
I'm sorry. It would be worth something, right. I can't
remember the trial, we saw that too long ago. Where
the who Oh my goodness, I am getting Oh my god,
I just got to overcome with emotion thinking about it,
because you remember how messed up I was over it. It
was the the kid who was who had killed folk?
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Where was it? And one of the mothers of the
victim asked if she could go hug him? Yes, And
I saw that video. Oh my god, I'm thinking about
it now. I worked up about it because that was
such a powerful and emotional moment to see. So you
never know what works for one family might not work
for another. What works for one dad might not work
for the mom. What works for this in the same
(16:34):
family either. You don't know how this day and what
words could mean anything. These people have to live the
rest of their lives without two twenty year olds and
two twenty one year olds. That's how young these kids
were sleeping in the midnight and killed. So if I
am I don't know enough about his personality. I don't
(16:56):
think there's been anything other than the murder that people
come out and say he's so he's been malicious, he's
been vindictive, he's been you know, some killers taunt right
the victims family. He hasn't done that. But will he
go quietly?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
What could he say?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Robes, I did it because blink, and you're just gonna
go whatever answer you give, it's probably gonna make you
feel worse like over that. For that, there's no justification,
there's nothing.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
There's no justification what happened to those for young, bright
and budding students who were about to just go take
on the world. It's just it's so gutting and so
incredibly sad, and so perhaps, yeah, anything short of an apology,
I don't know any weight it would carry or any explanation.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Yet there is no explanation.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
You don't. Prosecutors have asked you talk about him speaking
to the family and saying something, but a fouled emotion
before today's hearing, asking for a gag order on Coburger
be continued, meaning he has been ordered not to try
to contact the victims' families. They want that extended for
about another one hundred years for whatever reason they stuck
that number in their ninety nine years. But they don't
want him any point ever to be allowed to torture
(18:03):
this family.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yes, and one of the family members spoke out and
said that they're the reason why they wanted the death
penalty and they wanted the trial is because they don't
want him to have influence over anyone. They don't want
him to have influence over other inmates. They said, this
is a bright person who is intelligent PhD student. They
don't want him to have a healthy and a rewarding
life inside of prison. I believe he said he considers
(18:27):
what Coburger is about to enter into is adult daycare.
He said that's not good enough for me. My daughter
lost her life. He shouldn't get to go to adult
daycare and be interacting with inmates, writing reading. You know,
he was even concerned he might write a book or
do something. So a gag order I think would certainly
help the parents and the family members of these students
(18:50):
feel a little bit better. You can understand that you
just wouldn't want this person who did what he did
to have any influence over anybody ever again, whatever that
may be wherever that may be.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
We shall see folks. If he does speak today, we
will have our eye on the court out there, and
it is being live stream if you want to check
it out yourself, there's several outlets you can find it
no problem where it's being live streams. But we'll keep
an eye on today and we'll check back in with
you when it warrants, which we assume it is going
to warrant fairly soon. But for now, folks, we appreciate
(19:20):
you as always hanging with us for my partner, Hamy
Robot on TJ. Holmes will talk to y'all soon
Hey, folks, It's July twenty third, and today the man
who killed four University of Idaho students has an opportunity
in open court to finally answer the question why why
did he kill those four students? He has an opportunity
to tell us, But will he? And with that, welcome
(00:25):
to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Robes.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Not a lot of mystery in the sentencing of Coburger today,
But here we are three years later, and we still
don't have any idea why he killed these kids.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
And as excruciating as it is for the families, the
parents of these four students to just accept the fact
that their loved ones are gone and we're brutally murdered,
but to have no idea why is just adding insult
to injury. And so these families, with the exception of
one of the victims' families, will be in court first
(00:59):
of all together their own impact statements, their own victim
impact statements.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
This is their first.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Chance to directly address Brian Koberger, the man who has
been well, he's now pleaded guilty to murdering these four students,
to tell them the impact he's had on their lives,
to tell them the lives he took away and took
from this world. But yes, they're also hoping to hear
something from him. They all want to know what his
(01:26):
motive was, and right now no one knows.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
We all remember the crime was shocking, horrific enough at
the time, but you're looking for an answer, like what
was going on? What was the relationship even to these kids?
There was none apparently that we can all tell. But
it was so horrific. And here we are three years
later that the family is finally there won't be a trial,
and some were relieved, we don't have to have a trial.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
And some were upset about it.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And some were upset. But this was supposed to be
some type of finality, right when people finally, when victims'
families finally see the person who's responsible go to prison,
the trial is over, supposed to be the end of it,
never be over until they get this answer. How could
they ever rest in peace, quite frankly, until their families
(02:08):
have some kind of finality and understanding about why this
man did this.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
That's right, one legal expert said.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Today could be if we did hear from Brian Coberger,
and we did hear something, this could be what amounts
to a legal funeral of sorts where you actually do
get closure, and you do get answers, and you can
finally put all of those gnawing, nagging questions to bed.
But let's just take you back to November thirteenth, twenty
twenty two, where Kaylee Goncales, Madison, Mogen Xana Kernodle, and
(02:37):
Ethan Chapin were there in this off campus house. They
were students there at the University of Idaho, and they
were stabbed to death at their residence in the middle
of the night. There were two other roommates there that
evening who managed to survive, and one of them actually
did and was able to tell police that she saw
a masked man walking through their apartment. Those two roommates
(03:01):
may also speak today. There's some anticipation that they may
get up and address Brian Coberger as well, but ultimately
DNA evidence from a sheath from the knife he used
linked him directly to the crime, along with the online
purchase of that knife and the sheath. They had surveillance
video of his vehicle in the area and his own
cell phone pinged to that tower nearby the site of
(03:23):
the killing, so they had a lot of evidence, and
they were seeking the prosecutors were seeking the death penalty,
and at least one family member of one family wanted
to see him put to death. They didn't want him
to have life in prison, and they wanted a trial,
and they wanted answers.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
They were hoping information would come out in that trial.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The trial was going to happen up until a couple
of months ago, because up until a couple of months
ago he was still maintaining at least a not guilty
plea in court and the trial was going to happen.
They made an attempt in April at least to try
to get the death penalty off the table. His defense
lawyers did because he was recently diagnosed with autism asd
(04:01):
autism spectrum disorder, and they made a case that, hey,
because he has this, the Supreme Court is saying that
this would amount a cruel and unusual punishment, the death
penalty for someone who has this now. Uh huh. The
judge rejected that, yes, he has whatever autism now, but
that is not going to stop the prosecution from seeking
the death penalty, And then negotiations started with the prosecution
(04:22):
about pleading guilty and he is pled guilty. Four life sentences,
no possibility of parole now short of the death penalty.
That is as tough of a sentence as you're going
to get, and it's not enough.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Some people want their day in court.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And look, this was a bit of a surprise guilty
plead to a lot of people. It happened on July seconds,
so just a couple weeks ago. And yes, he is
going to prison for the rest of his life. But
some family members are upset with prosecutors over the deal.
They wanted input, they wanted to have a say and
whether or not they were okay with that deal or not.
So they were upset that they didn't get their day
(04:56):
in court, which was supposed to be August eleventh, and
this trial was supposed to last for three months. This
was going to be a very public spectacle.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
But they were hoping to.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Get a lot of information out because there had been
a gag order for the last two and a half
years and investigators were barred from sharing information or releasing
anything not only to the public, but to the victims'
families as well, so they have been in the dark.
I watched an interview with one of the families who said,
we don't even know how many times our daughter was stabbed.
We don't even know where she was stabbed, we don't
(05:25):
know how long it took. They want to know these details.
I know it sounds macab, but when it's your child
and you want to know, you want to know what
happened to them. And many of these families they don't
know specifically know their child was stabbed to death. And
that's it.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
That's where it begins and ends.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
It's been three years, folks, and so much of what
happens in trials. Yes, prosecutors want to hold on to information,
want to keep it out of the public, but when
the trial comes, all that stuff comes out. We're not
having a trial. So now we're wondering, and they are
pressing for prosecutors to start, like immediately releasing this information
(06:02):
so that they could finally get some closure, maybe some
finality with all this. But some families today do not
want this to be happening. They don't want a sentencing hearing,
they want information, they wanted a trial, they wanted the
death penalty on the table. Can't take issue with the
other family with however they feel right now. But today
(06:22):
is a very important day. He has an opportunity to speak.
We don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
If he will yes.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
And this is all happening at eleven am Eastern time.
This is when the hearing is going to begin, and
folks have been lined up, people camped out overnight the
public to try and get into this trial.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
There is tremendous public interest. They say. There's at least.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Fifty people deep waiting in line to get into that
court and have been for hours to see what happens today.
But this is going to be live streamed. There are
reporters in the courtroom and we're certainly going to be
following it. And this may be so extensive that it
carries on until Thursday. So this could be a two
day sentencing hearing because the judge wants to make sure
every single person who wants to speak, who wants to
(07:03):
address Brian Coberger, gets the opportunity to and apparently there
are quite a few victim impact statements that the court
is expecting.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I didn't see a list. Is there official count I
didn't see.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I didn't see it either.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I just know that they because it's just been they've
been expecting and some there. I think the family I
believe the family of Ethan he they said they will
not be there, and you know that's that's just such
a personal decision whether you could even stand to be
in that courtroom. And some people, some of the family
members say, you know, wild horses couldn't.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Hold them back. They will be there and they will
be making statements.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Coburger, I think he's been described. Yes he has autism.
That was a recent diagnosis, but he has been described
in court and when he's just a soft spoke and
he doesn't seem to be a very outgoing individual. I
don't know how much that has to do with the autism,
but the argument that that could have kept him from
from possibly getting the death penalty. The confusion, I say confusion.
It's just he didn't know these kids. He was in
(07:57):
school nearby. I think I don't think it was more
than a twenty mile plus distance he was from, and
I don't have that right, but he was close by.
I mean, he was going to another school. Why he
knew them, why he showed up, and why he did
what he did. He attacked two of the students, I
believe it was two women to the young ladies first,
and authorities did come out at one point and say yes,
(08:21):
it appears that he attacked and stabbed a couple of
them while they were still asleep. So the two that
were left, there were two other housemates, one of them
you mentioned saw him. I cannot imagine how they feel
and the answers now they want why were we spared?
That is going to be with them the rest of
their lives. So it is so key today. This is
(08:43):
important for these families to have an opportunity, but this
is a huge moment for these families for the rest
of their lives and how it's going to go. Is
he going to choose to speak? Folks? We still you
remember that case. The first question who is it? It
took him six weeks to find them, by the way
before he was arrested.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Who is it why? So there is not even I
don't even see a lot of speculation, just makings why
would he do this? The four people he did not know?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Right, he was a PhD student, so a smart kid.
He might have been socially awkward and yes, recently diagnosed
with autism. But nothing makes sense, and that's why so
many people are so I don't want to use the
word fascinated, but perhaps it is a morbid curiosity because
people always and look, oftentimes, the why is never a
good enough answer. I've learned this. I know you probably
(09:36):
have two covering crimes for so many years.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
It's always the first.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Thing families want to know, and frankly, everyone wants to
know why, and just oftentimes there isn't a good answer,
and sometimes there's never an answer, and that's so hard
to accept a motive.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
This is completely mind bob. You remember how horrific it
was at the time when this happened to thinking, I mean,
there were all kinds of theories about who could it be.
You remember the police told people for a while, you
know what, there's no threat to the public. You're cool.
They came back later and said, you know what, remember
when we said that, we're not sure.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, They're like, this was a targeted attack. No one
should be worried, look anyone. I mean, I have a
daughter going back to school in a couple of weeks.
Every single parent who sends their child off to college,
it's it's such a scary time in life because you've
been protecting them, you've been around them, you've been guiding them.
You know where they are when they're coming, when they're going,
suddenly they launch off to school. And so yes, this
(10:34):
is every single parent's worst nightmare as they're sending their
kids off to college. What if they're not safe? What
if they're not protected? So for those police officers to say, hey,
your kids are fine, there's no one on the loose. Yeah,
it took six weeks and he was actually arrested at
his parents' home in Pennsylvania, driven.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Across the country. He had driven cross the country home.
I think didn't he drive with.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
His dad on that?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I believe, so, yes, yes, there are so many questions
and it actually look everyone wants to know. But actually
President Trump weighed in on this case earlier in the
week as well, And welcome back everyone to this edition
(11:18):
of Amy and TJ. We are focused on this sentencing
hearing that is happening today. All eyes are on a
courtroom in in Idaho. Brian Coberger is going to be
formally sentenced. He is going to be pleading guilty to
four murder charges. He is The sentencing has already pretty
much been determined. He's going to get four consecutive life sentences.
(11:39):
He is going to prison for the rest of his life.
But the big the big moment today could be if
we hear from Brian specifically. Everyone wants to know why
he committed these heinous crimes, stabbing these four innocent college
students to death while they were sleeping in their off
campus home. He's been linked to the attack, he's admitted
(12:00):
to the murders, and yet no one knows why they occurred.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yeah, this is I know, you're just talking about a
moment ago. It was six of them, right, six of
them living in the house, and you talk about folks
in their kids off to college and just the idea,
that's exactly what Anna Lease experience her first year is school.
How many were in that house?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Seven?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
She had seven kids in a house?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Coming up this year is going to be how many
I think.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
She's doing six, five or six. But yes, it's a
big house filled with kids. You feel like they're safe,
safety in numbers, they're else And there were boys and
girls in the house, so that actually makes me feel
safer to know she's got guys there. But that didn't
protect these kids on that night from Brian Coberg.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Since sleep in the middle of the night, going to
a house people you don't know and kill them why
with just why why why? Why? Why? The family is
desperate for this answer. And you were talking before we
uh hopped onto that break that. Yeah, even the President
has chimed in on this and Robes the president is
having the same thought it seems the rest of us
(13:00):
are having.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
He certainly is.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
He has taken to truth social and he has put
out several statements. But one of them he said, I
hope the judge makes Coburger at a minimum explain why
he did these horrible murders. There are no explanations, there
is no nothing. People were shocked that he was able
to plea bargain, but the judge should make him explain
(13:22):
what happened. I mean that I think would have maybe
made some of these family members feel a little bit
better if the deal had been struck between prosecutors and
the defense. Okay, fine, you can plead guilty. We'll take
the death penalty off the table, but we want you
in open court to explain why you did what you did.
I'm wondering why they didn't go that route, you.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Know what, because maybe they didn't discuss it with the
family ahead of time, Right, did they get a say
in this? Oftentimes this is the case. Prosecutors are good
about this, and I'm not sure what they did in
this particular instance, but that had to be something. You know,
families would have insisted. This is a part of the
plea deal. You gotta speak, Yeah, you got to tell
us what's happening. Short of that, I don't believe the
(14:02):
George the judge can order him to do anything.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Well, I don't think the judge can either, but I
believe as a part of a deal, you absolutely could
have that be a condition and he could have taken
it lately or left it, and so I just I
really wonder why they didn't go that route, because that's
tough because a lot of legal experts will tell you
because his sentencing has already been determined, he's already going
(14:26):
to prison for the rest of his life, he really
doesn't have an incentive to speak. There's no reason why
he has to speak, and so if they're not into
rehabilitating him or even understanding him at this point, he
really doesn't have to say one thing. And so people
are saying there's a fifty to fifty chance that he speaks. Well, okay,
anybody could say that, but I don't know that anything
(14:46):
he could say. Imagine I'm putting myself in the shoes
of those parents. I can't imagine there's anything he could
say that would make me feel any better or have
any more closure.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
About what happened to my child. I do know that.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
One of the girl's parents said, if he said he
was sorry, if he apologized, it would matter, It would
make a difference. It would feel like they got something
from him. But most folks are doubtful that is going
to happen.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
But anything could happen.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
And again, this we don't know at what point he
gets the opportunity to speak, or the judge will say,
do you have anything to say?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
It's right, it's the last thing, right before the judge
issues the sentence.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
And so if you're looking at and we're expecting quite
a few people to get up and give these victim
impact statements. And there has been some belief that this
may go into day two until tomorrow, so we may
not even he may not even get the chance to
speak or not to speak until tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
But this is certainly going to be interesting.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
And I mean, my heart's actually beating fast imagining that
anticipation or waiting to see or waiting to hear or
wanting to know if he's going to tell me what
happened to my child?
Speaker 1 (15:52):
What was the one I'm sorry you said? They said,
I'm sorry. It would be worth something, right. I can't
remember the trial, we saw that too long ago. Where
the who Oh my goodness, I am getting Oh my god,
I just got to overcome with emotion thinking about it,
because you remember how messed up I was over it. It
was the the kid who was who had killed folk?
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Where was it? And one of the mothers of the
victim asked if she could go hug him? Yes, And
I saw that video. Oh my god, I'm thinking about
it now. I worked up about it because that was
such a powerful and emotional moment to see. So you
never know what works for one family might not work
for another. What works for one dad might not work
for the mom. What works for this in the same
(16:34):
family either. You don't know how this day and what
words could mean anything. These people have to live the
rest of their lives without two twenty year olds and
two twenty one year olds. That's how young these kids
were sleeping in the midnight and killed. So if I
am I don't know enough about his personality. I don't
(16:56):
think there's been anything other than the murder that people
come out and say he's so he's been malicious, he's
been vindictive, he's been you know, some killers taunt right
the victims family. He hasn't done that. But will he
go quietly?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
What could he say?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Robes, I did it because blink, and you're just gonna
go whatever answer you give, it's probably gonna make you
feel worse like over that. For that, there's no justification,
there's nothing.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
There's no justification what happened to those for young, bright
and budding students who were about to just go take
on the world. It's just it's so gutting and so
incredibly sad, and so perhaps, yeah, anything short of an apology,
I don't know any weight it would carry or any explanation.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Yet there is no explanation.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
You don't. Prosecutors have asked you talk about him speaking
to the family and saying something, but a fouled emotion
before today's hearing, asking for a gag order on Coburger
be continued, meaning he has been ordered not to try
to contact the victims' families. They want that extended for
about another one hundred years for whatever reason they stuck
that number in their ninety nine years. But they don't
want him any point ever to be allowed to torture
(18:03):
this family.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yes, and one of the family members spoke out and
said that they're the reason why they wanted the death
penalty and they wanted the trial is because they don't
want him to have influence over anyone. They don't want
him to have influence over other inmates. They said, this
is a bright person who is intelligent PhD student. They
don't want him to have a healthy and a rewarding
life inside of prison. I believe he said he considers
(18:27):
what Coburger is about to enter into is adult daycare.
He said that's not good enough for me. My daughter
lost her life. He shouldn't get to go to adult
daycare and be interacting with inmates, writing reading. You know,
he was even concerned he might write a book or
do something. So a gag order I think would certainly
help the parents and the family members of these students
(18:50):
feel a little bit better. You can understand that you
just wouldn't want this person who did what he did
to have any influence over anybody ever again, whatever that
may be wherever that may be.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
We shall see folks. If he does speak today, we
will have our eye on the court out there, and
it is being live stream if you want to check
it out yourself, there's several outlets you can find it
no problem where it's being live streams. But we'll keep
an eye on today and we'll check back in with
you when it warrants, which we assume it is going
to warrant fairly soon. But for now, folks, we appreciate
(19:20):
you as always hanging with us for my partner, Hamy
Robot on TJ. Holmes will talk to y'all soon
Hosts And Creators
Amy Robach
T.J. Holmes
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