Latah County District Court Judge John Judge will issue a decision on the nondissemination order, or gag order, in the Moscow murder case at a later date after hearing arguments in court Friday.
Since Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall signed a gag order in January prohibiting attorneys and law enforcement involved in the case from speaking publicly about it, media organizations argue it violates their First Amendment rights.
The suspect in the case, Bryan Kohberger, faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the November stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
According to Kohberger’s attorneys and the prosecution, the gag order is necessary to protect Kohberger’s right to a fair trial.
A media coalition is arguing the gag order is too broad.
Judge plans to issue a decision on the motions after consideration at a later date.
