Bryan Kohberger Files to Withdraw Guilty Plea Claiming Bad Legal Advice; Experts Say Chances Are Slim

Kohberger, serving four consecutive life sentences for the 2022 Idaho student murders, is seeking to undo his guilty plea by claiming innocence and coercion.

Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students in a deal that spared him the death penalty, has filed a petition for post-conviction relief seeking to withdraw that plea — claiming he is innocent and was misled into confessing. In his own words, Kohberger stated: 'My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on false promises and blatant disinformation, does not reflect that truth.' He alleges he received bad legal advice and was subjected to 'false promises' and 'blatant disinformation' that induced his guilty plea, specifically claiming his attorneys advised him to confess despite his innocence. Legal experts have since weighed in on his chances, offering insight into the rights a convicted person has when attempting to reverse a guilty plea — generally considered a high legal bar to clear. The legal argument, if accepted, could reopen the case entirely. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences. The petition was filed Monday and made public on July 27 after New York Times correspondent Mike Baker uploaded a copy of the document via X. The November 2022 killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus Moscow, Idaho home drew national attention; Kohberger, then a criminology PhD student, was arrested weeks later. Victim reactions among the families are mixed: while the Goncalves family previously called Kohberger 'the mosquito you just can't seem to swat,' Kaylee Goncalves' father has since said he would 'love' a retrial, stating he wants 'a second shot at the accused murderer.'

Why it matters

If a court grants Kohberger's motion, it could vacate his guilty plea and potentially restore the death penalty as a sentencing option, forcing the victims' families through a full trial. The move directly affects four families who believed the case was resolved.

What's next

A court will need to rule on Kohberger's motion to withdraw his guilty plea; no hearing date is reported in the current sources.

Key facts

• Kohberger is currently serving four consecutive life sentences for the murders
• His guilty plea was the deal that removed the death penalty from the table
• He claims his confession was induced by 'false promises' and 'blatant disinformation'
• The murders occurred in November 2022 at a University of Idaho off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho
• The four victims were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin
• The Goncalves family has publicly condemned the withdrawal attempt

Bias & framing notes

Both sources are from TMZ, a single entertainment news outlet — there is no independent corroboration from a separate news organization in the provided material. TMZ reporting on court filings is generally factual when filings are cited, but the framing heavily emphasizes victim family outrage. No direct quotes from Kohberger's legal filing or his attorneys are provided, only paraphrased claims; the specific language attributed to Kohberger ('false promises,' 'blatant disinformation') should be treated as TMZ's characterization until the filing itself is independently verified.

NewsClear — neutral news & congressional tracking · Bill of the Week