Bryan Kohberger is slammed for new request to court: 'I want to look my best'

Bryan Kohberger's defense has asked he be allowed to ditch the prison gear and wear a suit and tie at his upcoming court appearance.  

Families of the four students who were brutally killed have opposed the allowance, with one mom saying 'It makes [her] sick' to see the man accused of murdering her daughter all dapper 'dressed up in a fresh haircut.'

The suspect in the 2022 stabbing deaths of the University of Idaho students will appear in court later this week, after repeatedly donning professional attire at pretrial court proceedings.

The last time he wore jail garb was at his arraignment in May 2023.

In a motion filed Friday, Kohberger's attorneys formally requested he continue to be permitted to avoid wearing jail clothing in the public eye.

'During the short time between [Kohberger's] transport to Ada County and the drafting of this motion [Kohberger's] defense team is aware of at least 900 media stories... which have focused on [Kohberger's] recent booking photo depicting facial hair,' a section reads.

'As was placed in the record at the hearing to change venue, expert testimony is that public interest will not wane. 

'This testimony continues to be accurate given the extensive nature of media coverage in the immediate past five days. 

'Much of the media coverage and social media posts focus on [Kohberger's] appearance,' the documented demand continues.

'Authorizing [Kohberger's] to wear street clothing to all public hearings is one way to reduce potential for prejudice.'

The term 'street clothes' refers to suits, in lieu of the traditional jail jumpsuits.

'This request is owing to the public nature of the case and vast dissemination of images of Mr. Kohberger,' Anne Taylor, Kohberger's lead attorney, wrote at one point. 'As such, avoiding coverage in jail clothing is one thing that can reduce prejudice.'

Suits for pretrial proceedings are typically in the hands of the judge, a state courts spokesperson confirmed.

The family of victim Kaylee Goncalves, who was 21 when she was killed, have publicly opposed the exemption that's allowed their daughter's suspected killer to dress up in the past.

'It makes me sick that he sits there in his suit … and all dressed up in a fresh haircut,' Kristi Goncalves, her mother, told NewsNation in 2023.  

The Ada County Sheriff’s Office, which manages the Ada County Jail where Kohberger is being kept, does not offer clothing other than jail attire for court appearances, a sheriff’s office spokesperson told The Seattle Times.

And while the case is now under a new judge in that county, it is likely the exceptions will continue, the rep said.

Kohberger will appear at the status conference in Boise on Thursday, and the hearing will be livestreamed on Youtube.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, maintain the killer left the military knife sheath behind and that it was found next to one of the victims bodies, on the third floor of the student home. 

DNA allegedly present on the sheath was later matched to Kohberger, they claim, after the FBI checked the sample against genetic genealogy databases and 'tipped off' local cops.

Days later, Kohberger was in cuffs - and has remained incarcerated since.

After Kohberger’s arrest on December 30, it emerged that DNA samples were taken directly from the suspect and came back as a more concrete  'statistical match'.

In response, the defense has accused prosecutors of 'hiding its entire case' by trying to keep its method of genetic genealogy under wraps.

Kohberger, meanwhile, has waived his right to a speedy trial, and a trial date has not been set.

He is accused of killing not only Kaylee, but her best friend Maddie Mogen, 21, housemate Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, in their University of Idaho off-campus home on November 13, 2022.