Ted Bundy’s Former Attorney Draws Parallels to Bryan Kohberger’s Case, Discusses Defense Strategy
A former defense attorney for Ted Bundy, John Henry Browne, has drawn intriguing parallels between the notorious serial killer’s final actions and the charges against Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the University of Idaho student murders. Browne, who represented Bundy during his trial, pointed out striking similarities in the actions of both men, particularly in the context of state lines, the death penalty, and their method of execution.
Browne noted that Bundy, after escaping from a Colorado prison, fled to Florida where he committed more murders, ultimately landing on death row. “Here's some guy who drives 10 miles from a state where there's no death penalty, [from] a state where there's an active mental health defense, to a state where there is no mental health defense, and the death penalty is very active,” Browne told Fox News Digital. “I think it's just fascinating to me. I don’t know what to imply from it, but I know the facts are the facts.”
Kohberger, accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, is facing charges in a state with the death penalty, despite being a resident of Washington, where capital punishment is not enforced. He is accused of crossing state lines from Washington to Idaho, a move Browne sees as eerily reminiscent of Bundy’s own actions. Both men allegedly carried out their murders in similar circumstances, with Bundy entering the Chi Omega sorority house through a back door before dawn and attacking several sleeping women, and Kohberger allegedly doing the same at a college house.
“Like Bundy’s Florida State University Chi Omega sorority house rampage, Kohberger is accused of attacking four college students hours before sunrise, entering through a back door while at least some of the victims were sleeping,” Browne explained.
Despite the striking similarities, Browne expressed uncertainty about the prosecution's theory regarding Kohberger's motive, which remains largely unknown. “I have no idea what the state's theory is about why Kohberger chose these people in this house to go kill and leave a knife [sheath] that has DNA on it,” he remarked. Browne suggested that the lack of clarity surrounding the motive would be of significant interest to the jury.
While Bundy’s case eventually became clearer as a struggle for power rather than sex, Browne noted that the motives in Kohberger's case are still unclear. “As the case became clearer and we’re dealing with 30, 40, 50 or more deaths, the motives became pretty clear in Ted's case – that it was a power struggle, much more so than sex,” Browne said, adding that many of Bundy’s victims were not sexually assaulted.
The defense team for Kohberger, led by attorneys Anne Taylor, Jay Logsdon, and Elisa Massoth, has spent over a year aggressively challenging the case against him. This includes filing motions to strike the death penalty, which was rejected by Boise Judge Steven Hippler. Browne suggested that Kohberger’s defense team should continue to fight aggressively. “If I were his lawyers, I would start playing offense – a lot,” he said.
Browne also weighed in on Kohberger’s defense strategy, suggesting that Kohberger may want to waive his right to a jury trial, a tactic that Bundy used in Utah, although it did not work in his favor. “You could waive the jury, and try the case to the judge,” Browne noted. However, he acknowledged that while the tactic could sometimes be beneficial, it would not be an easy decision in a high-profile case like Kohberger’s, where potential jurors may already have preconceived notions.
Kohberger is accused of the brutal murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, who were all fatally stabbed in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. The suspect’s trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2025.
As Kohberger’s defense continues to unfold, Browne’s insights into the case offer a unique perspective, drawing on his extensive experience with high-profile criminal cases, including his time representing Bundy.
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