As Judge John Judge reviewed the motion for a change of venue, he made the tough decision to move the trial to Ada County.
Now, the Idaho State Supreme Court has designated Boise, nearly 300 miles from the crime scene, as the new location. The Supreme Court cited the large jury pool, courtroom accommodations, and less saturation of prejudicial media as factors in their decision.
In accordance with Judge Judge’s wishes, the case was also remanded to Judge Steven Hippler.
Kohberger was secretly transferred to the Ada County Jail on an Idaho State Police plane. The Latah and Ada County sheriffs decided to work with State Police to make the transfer as safe and efficient as possible. The 6-hour drive from Moscow to Boise presented several potential complications, such as a blown tire or road closures.
The 2-hour early morning flight mitigated those concerns and went smoothly, according to Ada County Sheriff’s Captain Ryan Jensen.
Bryan Kohberger is being held in the maximum-security section of the Ada County Jail in one of its 88 solitary cells. He reportedly will not receive any additional security, following the same procedures used in recent high-profile cases. All inmates receive either a mainline, vegan, or kosher meal delivered to their cell three times a day.
Due to overcrowding, with the jail operating at or above 92% capacity, many inmates sleep on the floor. Inmates are allowed to purchase snacks and other small items from the commissary once a week.