Bryan Kohberger has claimed that his initial guilty plea was influenced by “unkept promises” from his legal team, who allegedly threatened him. According to court documents submitted on Monday, Kohberger accused his attorneys of withholding evidence that could exonerate him.
Kohberger further alleged that his lawyers advised him a guilty plea didn’t need to reflect the truth. He maintained that privately, he adamantly denied any guilt, but was told that admitting guilt was in his best interest.
The attorneys allegedly promised him better treatment. Despite the death penalty being an option in Idaho, by pleading guilty, Kohberger avoided execution, securing a life sentence instead.
Additionally, his lawyers purportedly assured him that a guilty plea would grant him perks such as immediate freedom of movement and employment, along with immediate contact visits. Kohberger, however, dismissed these promises as “elaborate lies.”
In a statement to The New York Times, Kohberger declared, “My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn.”
However, Goncalves remains unconvinced by Kohberger’s attempt to retract his plea. She remarked, “So for him to now say, you know, he didn’t really know what he was getting himself into with the plea deal, it’s just funny.”
