Bryan Kohberger doesn’t want Amazon shopping list revealed at trial: court filings

Bryan Kohberger’s Defense Seeks to Exclude Amazon Evidence in Idaho Murder Trial

Bryan Kohberger, the 30-year-old Ph.D. student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in November 2022, is currently preparing for his high-stakes trial set to begin on August 11 in Boise. Kohberger faces the death penalty if convicted, and his defense team is working vigorously to challenge key evidence they argue is unfairly prejudicial or lacks proper context. One of their latest moves involves a motion to exclude Kohberger’s Amazon purchase history and related activity from being presented at trial. Defense attorney Elisa Massoth has argued that the evidence is incomplete, vague, and potentially misleading, making it inadmissible in court.

At the heart of the defense’s motion is the claim that prosecutors have failed to provide a clear definition of what they term “Amazon click activity” or explain how they plan to use such data. Massoth contends that without full disclosure of raw data, expert testimony, or a detailed explanation of how Amazon’s algorithm might influence user behavior, the evidence cannot be fairly evaluated. “The State’s refining of all the Amazon history and Amazon click activity is out of context, incomplete, and unfairly prejudicial, thus making it inadmissible,” she wrote in the filing. The defense also points out that Amazon’s AI-driven algorithm actively shapes user behavior by suggesting products based on predictive models, meaning Kohberger’s browsing and purchase history may not entirely reflect his deliberate intent but could instead be influenced by the platform’s recommendations.

One specific aspect of Amazon activity under scrutiny is Kohberger’s alleged purchase of a Ka-Bar knife in 2022, which investigators have tried to link to the crimes. Police found a sheath for a Ka-Bar knife under the body of Madison Mogen, one of the victims, and DNA on the sheath’s snap was later matched to Kohberger. However, while search warrants indicate that knives were recovered from Kohberger’s possession after his arrest, none have been publicly identified as the murder weapon. The defense argues that the lack of a clear connection between the knife and the killings, combined with the potential influence of Amazon’s algorithm on Kohberger’s purchasing decisions, undermines the relevance and reliability of the evidence.

Adding another layer of complexity, the defense suggests that Kohberger’s Amazon account may have been used by other household members, including his parents or two sisters. This raises the possibility that purchases or browsing activity attributed to Kohberger could actually be linked to someone else. The motion emphasizes that without complete and transparent data, it is impossible to establish whether the Amazon activity in question was solely Kohberger’s doing. The defense also critiques the prosecution for cherry-picking limited data from extensive records requested in search warrants, which they argue distorts the fuller picture that could exonerate or at least cast doubt on Kohberger’s involvement.

While the Amazon evidence remains a focal point of the defense’s strategy, it is just one piece of a larger and deeply complex case. The murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin sent shockwaves through the small college town of Moscow, Idaho, and questions about Kohberger’s guilt or innocence have sparked intense public debate. The case has drawn national attention not only because of its brutality but also because of the unusual suspect at its center: a criminology graduate student whose intellectual interests seemed to align with the very crimes of which he now stands accused.

As the trial approaches, Kohberger’s defense team continues to challenge the prosecution’s evidence, raising important questions about the reliability of digital data and the potential biases of algorithms in shaping human behavior. Whether or not the court ultimately decides to exclude the Amazon evidence, the case underscores the complexities of modern forensic investigations, where even seemingly mundane online activity can become a contentious issue in the pursuit of justice. Bryan Kohberger’s fate now rests in the hands of the court, as both sides prepare to present their arguments in what promises to be one of the most closely watched trials in recent memory.