This will satisfy the critics of the lawyers who took it Bryan Kohbergerthe case?
For those who don’t know, the accused brutally killed four University of Idaho students in November’s shocking massacre was sent a public defender named Anne Taylor. The assignment almost immediately caused controversy – as the lawyer also represented three different parents of the murder victim!
As the main advisor on Kootenai County Public Defender’s Officehe was previously represented Maddie Magenfather and stepmother on drug charges. And he even represents it Xana Kernodlehis mother Manneras well as for drug arrests, until the murder cases come. He had to hand the case over to someone else in order to represent Kohberger — after all, it would be a conflict of interest to represent an accused murderer and the victim’s parents at the same time.
Related: Why It Takes Too Long For Police To Be Called In Idaho Murders
But, uh, why hasn’t there been a conflict of interest? Why not get another public defender?? One big reason is that Taylor is one of 13 public defenders in the entire state approved to handle capital cases — those in which prosecutors can seek the death penalty. That’s why he was always chosen. But what about conflict? All we knew before was that he had a closed meeting with the judge in the case, Megan E. Marshall.
Well, now we finally know what he said in the secret hearing that got him in!
NewsNation‘s Brian Entin got the court transcripts, and it turns out it wasn’t just Taylor and Judge Marshall. This was a full hearing with two lawyers and Kohberger in attendance, held back on January 27. It began with the court stating that conflicts of interest are handled on a case-by-case basis, and usually up to the lawyer and the client. if they feel comfortable to continue.
Taylor explains his argument why this is not a conflict. He explained that as the head of the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office, his name was entered per documents in the office – but that does not mean that they have represented the client. When explaining the Kernodle Method, he said, there are actually two cases, one from 2017 and one from 2022. The 2022 crime drug case, he pointed out, was never assigned specifically to him. For the 2017 case, he explained that the lawyer who worked on the case had left the public defender’s office, becoming the de facto head of the office – “the practice is to transfer all pending cases back.” to himself. However, he said, this is a formality, and that he had “no contact or relationship with Ms. Kernodle, and has not met with him or given him legal advice.” He also noted that “much of what the media has reported” about the case “is not true.”
Related: Creepy Group Backs Bryan Kohberger Banned From Reddit
How does Cara Kernodle say she feels betrayed? He told me NewsNation‘s Ashleigh Banfield in a TV interview:
“I’m heartbroken because I trusted him. He pretended he wanted to help me. And to find out, if he represented him, I can’t tell you how betrayed I feel.
If Taylor had never met this woman, everything in that quote would be bull. So either these two are lying, or mom misremembered who her lawyer was. Hmm.
As for legality, Taylor also pointed out that he discussed the matter with the prosecutor’s office and the Idaho State Bar, and everyone has determined that everything is fine. Finally the judge checked with the prosecutor Ashley Jennings and with the accused. Both said it was fine with them; Kohberger unequivocally agreed that he wanted to continue Taylor as an attorney. Huh.
Strangely, no one mentions Maddie Mogen’s parents.
1/4 The transcript of a secret court hearing in January between public defender Bryan Kohberger Anne Taylor and a judge has been made public.
Taylor told the judge he was not conflicted about representing Kohberger because he had never met the Idaho victim’s mother Xana Kernodle. pic.twitter.com/Dexd9SZh1i— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) March 2, 2023
What do you think about the latest developments? Are YOU satisfied, Perezcious paralegals?
PS Inneresting that the judge, prosecutor, and defender are all women here. Considering Kohberger’s apparent feelings about women, one might think that he should consider his fate in women’s hands.
[Image via KTVB/YouTube.]