Op‑Ed: Justice, Mercy, and the Moral Cost of the Kohberger Plea Deal
A discussion on justice, psychology, and moral order.
The plea deal accepted by Bryan Kohberger, accused in the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students on November 13, 2022, spares him the death penalty. As a criminologist, ethicist, and devout Catholic, I approach this outcome with seriousness, balancing the demands of justice and the depth of mercy, all rooted in faith, family, and formation.
The Foundation of Moral Order
These horrific murders are emblematic of what I term the rise of the "feral man"—someone untethered from moral and social virtues. The decline of faith undermines our moral compass; the erosion of family weakens emotional grounding; and the failure of formation leaves individuals without discipline or virtue. When these pillars are compromised, evil can flourish.
Kohberger’s alleged behaviors suggest more than criminal pathology—they hint at the Dark Tetrad traits that modern criminology and forensic psychology associate with deeply antisocial personalities:
Narcissism: An inflated self-view and obsession with superiority.
Machiavellianism: Calculating manipulation and emotional detachment.
Psychopathy: A lack of empathy, remorse, or moral restraint.
Sadism: A disturbing satisfaction in others' pain.
Together, these traits form a profile that is often impervious to traditional moral instruction, and may even find perverse reward in violating social norms. When an individual embodies all four, as Kohberger may, it represents a chilling convergence of psychological deviance and spiritual emptiness.
Justice and the Death Penalty: A Catholic Perspective
Catholic doctrine has evolved over time. Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical, affirmed the state's right to use capital punishment in “absolute necessity… when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society,” yet such cases were considered “very rare, if not practically non‑existent.”
The 2018 revision to Catechism 2267 took this further:
“Recourse to the death penalty…was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes… Today…[we] recognize that the dignity of the person is not lost…more effective systems of detention…ensure protection…while allowing for redemption…Consequently…the death penalty is inadmissible…”
Thus, while not absolutely condemned, the Church sees capital punishment today as largely unnecessary, emphasizing the dignity and potential redemption of every human soul.
The Kohberger Plea: Justice or Convenience?
While condemning a plea that avoids the death penalty can seem merciless, the moral calculus must weigh:
Protection of society: Modern secure detention ensures public safety without execution.
Human dignity: Even convicted killers retain intrinsic worth.
Possibility of redemption: Life imprisonment preserves the path to repentance—however unlikely.
Kohberger’s case is a stark reminder: we must not allow justice to become either vengeance or procedural expediency.
Federalism and Ethical Prudence
As a Federalist, I support the discretion of states in criminal sentencing. But I also caution against punitive overreach that lacks ethical coherence. The death penalty may still be the just consequence in cases of unrepentant, remorseless evil—but it must not be applied as retribution devoid of moral clarity.
Conclusions & Calls to Action
A Call to Reflection: Is the death penalty necessary in this case, or simply symbolic? In this case, I tend to agree with JPII Encyclical “absolute necessity… when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society.”
Redemption Embraced: Justice must balance firmness with hope, not only for the suspect but the victim’s family.
Societal Renewal: We must rebuild the structures that form virtuous citizens: faith, family, and formation.
Kohberger’s plea deal may close a legal chapter, but it opens a deeper discussion on justice, psychology, and the moral order. In facing evil, we must not only punish it—we must understand its root, and recommit ourselves to forming a culture where it cannot so easily grow.
At this moment, the greatest act we can offer is to pray for the families of the victims—to lift them in faith and surround them with spiritual strength. As Scripture reminds us in Romans 12:19:
"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord."
Let us entrust justice not only to the courts of man, but to the judgment of God, who sees all and redeems all.