Court Rules on DNA Terms, Limits Karen Read Defense Ahead of Bryan Kohberger Gilgo Beach Quadruple Homicide Trial

In the upcoming trial of Bryan Kohberger, accused in a quadruple homicide case, the court has issued several key pretrial rulings favoring the prosecution. The judge ruled that the prosecution may use terms such as "murder" and "murderer" but cannot label Kohberger a "sociopath" or "psychopath." Additionally, the prosecution is permitted to refer to Kohberger's car as the "subject vehicle." However, DNA experts are restricted from using terms like "touch DNA" or "contact DNA." In a related case, the defense team for Karen Read, accused of murder in the 2022 death of John O’Keefe, will not be allowed to suggest during opening statements that the victim's injuries were caused by anyone inside the home where he died. These rulings come as the trial for Kohberger, linked to the Gilgo Beach killings, approaches, with the prosecution preparing to counter defense strategies aimed at undermining critical witnesses. The case marks Saint Jo’s first murder trial since 1986.