Dripps facing death penalty trial scheduled for summer 2021

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Brian Dripps, the man accused of murdering Angie Dodge in 1996, appeared in court Monday for a status conference.

Last week Bonneville County Prosecutor Daniel Clark filed a notice that he will be seeking the death penalty for Dripps. Clark told us, "At this point, we feel it appropriate to preserve the right of a jury to consider the death penalty in this case."

Monday in the courtroom, a few housekeeping items were discussed, one of them being the time frame of the trial. Dripps waived his right to a speedy trial which would have put his trial date six months after his information was filed.

Now the court is looking at June 2021 for his two-week trial. One week for the penalty phase and one week for the mitigation phase. 

According to Dripps attorney James Archibald, a year is typically needed for the life history mitigation specialist to do their investigation. 

Archibald also filed a motion for a second counselor and said that he is anticipating filing a motion to change venues for the trial, possibly to Boise.