Bryan Kohberger’s Lawyers Argue He Shouldn’t Have to Pay Restitution, Live Stream

Bryan Kohberger‘s legal team is pushing back against a $27K restitution requirement, arguing their client should not have to pay. They are scheduled to present their case in court shortly.

The lawyers representing the convicted murderer are back in court today, contending that Kohberger should be exempt from the restitution payment. They argue that the families of the victims have already received substantial funds from GoFundMe accounts set up for their travel and accommodation expenses.

Elisa Massoth, representing Bryan Kohberger’s defense, is present in court while Kohberger himself is absent from the proceedings.

Prosecutor Bill Thompson initially believed that the restitution funds would be used to compensate the victims as per the plea agreement. However, he later admitted to an error in judgment and acknowledged that the money could not be allocated for that purpose.

Thompson refuted Kohberger’s claim of financial inability to meet the restitution requirement, pointing out that the possibility of receiving external funds in the future could enable him to fulfill his obligations.

It is important to note that Bryan Kohberger had agreed to pay $250K in criminal fines and an additional $80K to be divided among the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle.

The defense is not disputing these payments but is specifically contesting an additional $27K, including $20K for Kaylee’s family and $7K for Madison’s mother, designated for travel expenses.

Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to the four murders earlier this year to avoid the death penalty, a decision that sparked controversy and backlash from the victims’ families.

Since entering his guilty plea, Bryan Kohberger has been incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna, where he has reported incidents of harassment from other inmates.