An Idaho judge has established the timeline for Bryan Kohberger’s attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in the case involving the murders of four University of Idaho students. Judge Steven Hippler, who sentenced Kohberger to life in prison without parole, outlined the procedure in a written order.

Judge Hippler did not grant Kohberger a hearing on his request to withdraw the guilty plea. Instead, he set a date for next June to determine if an evidentiary hearing is warranted. Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the 2022 murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen.

Kohberger, 31, claimed his attorneys manipulated him into accepting the plea by promising improved prison conditions and warning him about life on death row. His petition, filed last month, also mentioned that his legal representatives allegedly withheld or failed to review evidence beneficial to his case.

Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Ethan Chapin were the victims in a rental home near the Moscow, Idaho campus. Kohberger’s new attorney, Greg Rauch, has not commented publicly on the case.

In his order, Judge Hippler instructed both sides to ‘strictly adhere’ to the Idaho Rules of Court Procedure, emphasizing the importance of presenting admissible evidence. He also specified how objections to evidence should be handled. Noncompliance with the court’s directive may lead to sanctions.

The involved parties are required to disclose potential witnesses, including experts, by the beginning of February. A status conference is set for next June.