Kohberger’s lawyer cleared of conflict-of-interest concerns
Testing widget old system
(NewsNation) — Sources close to the prosecution of Bryan Kohberger told NewsNation that his attorney had a private meeting with the judge and has been cleared of any conflict-of-interest concerns.
Anne Taylor, chief of the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office, previously represented three family members of of two of Kohberger’s alleged victims before switching to take his case, according to court records.
In the most recent case, drug charges were filed against Cara Northington, the mother of Xana Kernodle, on Nov. 19, six days after her daughter and three others were found dead inside an off-campus rental home. Kernodle, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Ethan Chapin were all stabbed to death in the early morning hours of Nov. 13.
Taylor withdrew from Northington’s case Jan. 5, the same day Kohberger made his first court appearance in Moscow. Since Taylor took over the public defender’s office in 2017, her office has defended Northington in four cases, the Idaho Statesman reported.
“I am heartbroken because I trusted her … (Taylor) pretended that she was wanting to help me … And to find out that she’s representing him (Kohberger), I can’t even convey how betrayed I feel,” Northington said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “Banfield” in January.
Attorney Mark Geragos told NewsNation host Ashleigh Banfield that Taylor shouldn’t have been able to represent Kohberger without a waiver signed by the parents who were previously represented by her.
“When the lawyer Anne Taylor … and the judge talk privately, I understand that. I’ve done that many times, Geragos said during an appearance on “Banfield.” “I just don’t think that there is any way possible that there isn’t going to be a discussion of that house, the use of drugs, and people going in and out. I just find that entirely too hard to believe.”
NewsNation also learned from someone close to the case that prosecutors support removing Taylor from the case. Latah County will pay Taylor $200 an hour for her standard workweek, according to a recent report.
