Idaho student murders: Family of Ethan Chapin won’t attend Bryan Kohberger’s trial
Rachel Schilke
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The family of Ethan Chapin, one of four University of Idaho students killed last year, will not attend suspect Bryan Kohberger’s murder trial.
Stacy Chapin, Ethan Chapin’s mother, said on NBC’s Today show that she and her family will not appear at court for the trial, as doing so wouldn’t be energy “well spent.”
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She said the family is focused on preserving Ethan Chapin’s legacy and healing rather than on Kohberger.
“[The trial] does not change the outcome of our family and it’s energy that we need to put into healing our kids and getting back to a new family dynamic,” Stacy Chapin said. “We let the prosecutors do their job and we do our job in our family.”
Shortly after his death, the Chapin family started Ethan’s Smile Foundation to honor Ethan Chapin. They also created a yellow-and-white tulip mix called “Ethan’s Smile” that is for sale at Tulip Valley Farms, where Ethan Chapin worked planting bulbs.
Stacy Chapin said her son was the “greatest kid” and that “everyone loved him.”
“He was warm. He was inclusive. He was the kid you wanted to hang out with. He was always game to participate in anything,” she said. “He was kind.”
“He was that way from the very beginning. He was born happy. He was just magnanimous. I don’t know how to really explain it,” Stacy Chapin continued.
Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, were allegedly murdered by Kohberger, 28, on Nov. 13, who stabbed them to death in their home in Moscow, Idaho. Kernodle was Chapin’s girlfriend, and Goncalves and Mogen were best friends.
Kohberger pleaded not guilty to four first-degree murder charges and one felony burglary charge on May 22. Kohberger and his defense counsel opted to “stand silent,” which is protected under the Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination, so a “not guilty” plea was entered for him.
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Prosecutors have 60 days from the plea entry to announce if they are seeking the death penalty. Due to recent legislation signed by Gov. Brad Little (R-ID), Kohberger could face the firing squad if convicted and the death penalty is on the table.
Kohberger’s trial date has been set for Oct. 2 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time. Kohberger’s attorney said the trial may take four to six weeks to prepare.