Bryan Kohberger is requesting that a Boise judge exclude evidence of his Amazon purchase history and activity from his upcoming trial in the deaths of four University of Idaho students. Defense attorney Elisa Massoth argued that the Amazon evidence should not be introduced because prosecutors have allegedly failed to define “Amazon click activity” and provide a comprehensive analysis. Massoth also claimed that Amazon’s AI-driven algorithm may have influenced Kohberger’s browsing and purchasing behavior, which could impact the interpretation of his Amazon history.
Massoth also argued that Kohberger’s Amazon account could have been shared with other household members, further complicating the shopping list. Police had previously attempted to link Kohberger to the purchase of a Ka-Bar knife found under the body of one of the victims, Madison Mogen. However, Amazon search results showed that similar knives are popular and readily available on the site, making it difficult to definitively link the purchase to Kohberger. Despite police recovering knives after Kohberger’s arrest, none have been publicly identified as potential murder weapons.
Kohberger was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, just 10 miles away from the University of Idaho crime scene where Mogen and three friends were brutally murdered. The other victims were Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, all of whom died from multiple stab wounds. Kohberger’s trial is scheduled to begin on August 11, and he could face the death penalty if convicted. A judge had entered not guilty pleas on his behalf at his arraignment in May 2023.
The defense’s argument centered around the lack of expert opinion and complete data provided by the prosecutors regarding Kohberger’s Amazon purchase history and activity. Massoth claimed that the limited disclosures made by the State, as well as the vagueness surrounding the term “Amazon click activity,” render the evidence inadmissible due to its potential to be misleading and unfairly prejudicial. The defense stressed the importance of presenting a full picture of the evidence rather than cherry-picked data.
The defense also highlighted the influence of Amazon’s AI-driven algorithm on user behavior, suggesting that Kohberger’s browsing and purchasing history may not reflect deliberate intent but could have been shaped by Amazon’s predictive models. By arguing that the algorithm actively guides purchasing behavior based on predictive models, the defense sought to create doubt about the significance of Kohberger’s Amazon activity as evidence against him. Additionally, the possibility of shared Amazon accounts within the household could further complicate the interpretation of the data presented. Ultimately, the defense aimed to challenge the admissibility of the Amazon evidence in Kohberger’s trial.
