FILE - Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, is escorted into court for a hearing in Latah County District Court, Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, Pool, File)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The judge handling the trial of Bryan Kohberger in the killings of four Idaho college students said he would consider the defense team's request to delay the proceedings, but warned attorneys on both sides to be ready to go late next month anyway.

Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler said Wednesday that he would issue a written ruling on the trial timing soon.

“As of now, I would tell you it's likely you're going to trial on the date indicated,” Hippler said.

Kohberger, 30, a former graduate student in criminal justice at Washington State University, is charged with four counts of murder. Prosecutors say he sneaked into a rental home in nearby Moscow, Idaho, not far from the University of Idaho campus, and fatally stabbing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves on Nov. 13, 2022.

Kohberger stood silent at his arraignment, prompting a judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Defense attorney Anne Taylor told the judge that proceeding with an August trial date would violate Kohberger's constitutional right to a fair trial in part because his attorneys are still reviewing evidence and struggling to get potential witnesses to agree to be interviewed.

“We have to review all discovery to present a full defense. We cannot present what we are not aware of,” Taylor said during the afternoon hearing. “I received discovery just last week — it is discovery that I have not reviewed yet.”

The defense team also needs more time to complete investigations and prepare mitigating evidence that could be presented if the case reaches the penalty phase, she said.

Prosecutor Josh Hurwit told the judge that having adequate time to prepare a defense is different from having unlimited time. He noted that Kohberger has three attorneys, two investigators, a mitigation expert and various other experts working on his case. The discovery materials turned over to the defense this week were mainly reports from prosecutors who were interviewing the defense team's own witnesses, he said.

The killings in Moscow, Idaho, drew worldwide attention almost immediately, prompting a judge to issue a sweeping gag order that bars attorneys, investigators and others from speaking publicly about the investigation or trial. The trial was moved to the state capital of Boise to gather a larger jury pool, and the judge has sealed many case documents.

It's all being done to limit potential juror's pretrial bias. Still, public interest remains high.

A recent Dateline episode included details that weren't publicly released, and Hippler said the information appears to have come from law enforcement or someone close to the case.

That's another reason to delay the trial, Kohberger's attorneys argued. Taylor told the judge that a delay would allow some of the impact from widespread publicity to dissipate.

“The Dateline episode wasn't just a one-time deal back in May,” Taylor said. “That continues to be talked about. Everything in this case continues to be talked about.”

Hurwit agreed that the media coverage will “pose challenges for jury selection.” But the issue isn't about the amount of publicity, he said, but whether impartial jurors can be selected for the trial. The court has already put a plan in place that will ensure an impartial jury is selected, he said, and delaying the trial because of publicity “puts us at the whim of the media.”

“What seems to be the strategy here is just to delay,” Hurwitt said of the defense motion.

The defense has asked the judge to appoint a special investigator to identify the leaker, and prosecutors said they will cooperate.

The media attention isn't likely to end soon. A book about the killings by James Patterson is set to be released in July. And a docuseries centered on the morning the deaths were discovered is expected to air on Amazon Prime next month, and includes interviews with some of the victims' family members and friends.

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