BOISE, Idaho — One of the two roommates who were left physically unharmed during an attack that left four University of Idaho students dead will be allowed to testify at Bryan Kohberger’s murder trial that the intruder she saw inside their off-campus home had “bushy eyebrows,” the presiding judge ruled Friday.
Ada County Judge Steven Hippler said that the roommate’s testimony was “remarkably consistent” over the course of five interviews with police following the fatal stabbings, as well as during her testimony before a grand jury that unanimously indicted Kohberger on four counts of murder. Hippler denied the defense’s effort to keep testimony from the surviving roommate about that physical attribute, and rejected the argument that it would be unfairly prejudicial against Kohberger.
“D.M.’s testimony about ‘bushy eyebrows’ is highly relevant in this case,” Hippler wrote. “D.M. is the only eyewitness to the intruder responsible for the homicides. It is the jury’s task to determine whether (the) defendant is that person.”
The order is the first of about a dozen outstanding rulings expected from Hippler following an all-day motions hearing last week to resolve several arguments between prosecutors and Kohberger’s defense about how certain evidence may be used at trial. Hippler previously issued several orders from the bench at the hearing, and said he would provide future written orders on the remaining items.
