Judge sides with Bryan Kohberger victims' families in crime scene photos lawsuit

(NewsNation) — A judge has sided with the families of Bryan Kohberger's victims after they sued to stop some crime scene photos and videos from being released.

Kohberger, a former criminology student, is serving life in prison after accepting a plea deal and admitting to the 2022 murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Mogen’s mom, Karen Laramie, Chapin's parents, Stacy and James Chapin, and Chapin's sister, Maizie Chapin, were successful in ensuring the city of Moscow, Idaho, can never release the most graphic images and videos from the crime scene.

"The City of Moscow is permanently restrained from disclosing photographs or videos without first blacking out any areas within those investigatory records that depict any portion of the bodies of the decedents or the blood immediately surrounding them," a ruling by District Judge Megan E. Marshall on Wednesday read.

"Plaintiffs have set forth undisputed evidence that they have suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury including extreme emotional distress because of the City's release of certain records. More specifically, the injury sustained has physically manifested itself through sleep disturbance, shaking, and sobbing," Marshall wrote.

“There is little to be gained by the public in seeing the decedents’ bodies, the blood-soaked sheets, blood spatter or other death scene depictions."

However, the judge ruled that the public has an interest in seeing investigation records. Other photos, videos and documents that don't contain the graphic imagery can be released.

Lawyer representing families speaks out

A judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the release of further police records after the City of Moscow was served notice Aug. 12 of the families' request to the Latah County District Court.

Laramie requested the temporary order after redacted crime scene photos were released in early August in response to public records requests. Some of the photos showed blood and personal information.

“They reached the point, by the time of the sentencing, that they actually had some closure and were able to sort of start to move on somehow,” their attorney, Leander James, told NewsNation's “Banfield” at the time.

“Then they get hit with this, all of this ugly stuff getting released.”

Kaylee Goncalves' father, Steve, told the Idaho Statesman that he was happy with the judge's decision.

“We are immensely proud of Karen Laramie standing up for what is right,” he told the publication. “It’s regrettable that families must turn to lawyers and legal battles to safeguard the dignity of their murdered loves ones, which once again erodes the rights that were stripped from our children.”

Case files, videos released after Bryan Kohberger sentencing

The case files have begun to trickle out after Kohberger was sentenced in July and a gag order in the case was lifted.

Hundreds of case files have already been released revealing the harrowing scene responding officers found when they got to the house.

The records also detail interviews with surviving roommates, inmates who were housed with Kohberger and someone who claimed to have matched with Kohberger on Tinder.

Last week, new video emerged of Kohberger shopping at Costco and Albertsons hours after the murders. His motive for killing the four students has never come to light.

Bryan Kohberger's life in prison

Kohberger, meanwhile, has already complained about his life in prison after being sentenced to four life terms.

He was sent to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, and since being booked, he has filed complaints about the food and been taunted by his fellow inmates.

Kohberger filed an initial complaint July 30, a week after his sentencing, saying other inmates were flooding their cells on purpose while subjecting him to “minute-by-minute verbal threats/harassment,” according to documents obtained by NewsNation. In a follow-up communication Aug. 4, Kohberger said he had faced threats of sexual assault.

“We are aware of Kohberger’s complaints about what he considers taunting,” the Idaho Department of Corrections told NewsNation in a statement at the time.

“Incarcerated individuals commonly communicate with each other in prison. Bryan Kohberger is housed alone in a cell, and IDOC security staff maintain a safe and orderly environment for all individuals in our custody.”