Bryan Kohberger to Retract Guilty Plea in Idaho Murders: What the Law Says

Professor Daniel Medwed is quoted in Newsweek on Bryan Kohberger’s stated intention to withdraw his guilty plea in the University of Idaho murders. Medwed said Kohberger faces a steep legal challenge now that sentencing has already occurred, shifting the standard from a “just reason” to the far higher bar of proving a “manifest injustice.”

“After a defendant pleads guilty, the presumption shifts from a presumption of innocence to that of guilt,” Medwed said. “Kohberger now bears the burden of proving that his plea should be withdrawn.”