Children’s book author Kouri Richins says scandal and notoriety poisoned her murder trial

Attorneys for a Utah pistillate accused of murdering her hubby are seeking a last-minute alteration of venue, arguing the lawsuit has go excessively well-known locally for justness to beryllium decided by an impartial jury.

Kouri Richins, a Utah children’s publication writer and parent of three, is charged with murdering her husband, Eric Richins, successful a lawsuit that has drawn aggravated scrutiny and wide media attention.

In a question filed Friday, defence attorneys argued that publicity surrounding the lawsuit has truthful permeated Summit County that seating an impartial assemblage is nary longer realistic. Jury questionnaires cited successful the filing amusement much than 85% of imaginable jurors recognized the case, with astir 60% saying they followed it closely.

Defense attorneys said that erstwhile jurors who acknowledged familiarity with the lawsuit oregon who indicated bias oregon different disqualifying issues are removed, the remaining assemblage excavation shrinks to astir 72 imaginable jurors, acold less than what is typically needed to spot a assemblage and alternates successful a felony trial.

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Kouri Richins, left, a Utah parent of 3 who wrote a children's publication astir coping with grief aft her husband's decease and was aboriginal accused of fatally poisoning him, speaks to her attorney, Kathy Nester, during a proceeding successful 2024. (Rick Bowmer/AP Photo)

"With a assemblage excavation of little than 100 jurors it volition beryllium astir intolerable for Ms. Richins to person a just proceedings by a assemblage of her peers," the defence wrote.

The filing besides warns that immoderate jurors whitethorn not afloat recognize however acquainted they are with the lawsuit until circumstantial grounds is discussed successful court. Defense attorneys said referencing definite details, including a papers referred to arsenic the "walk the canine letter," could trigger further jurors to admit the lawsuit during assemblage selection, further shrinking the pool.

To spot a assemblage of 8 with 4 alternates, the defence notes, the tribunal indispensable suffice astatine slightest 43 jurors, thing attorneys reason is improbable fixed the fig of disqualifications already identified.

The venue petition marks the 2nd defence question filed successful the past week, arsenic assemblage enactment approaches. In a abstracted question filed past week, Richins’ attorneys accused members of the prosecution squad of witnesser intimidation, alleging a cardinal witnesser was threatened with apprehension and jailhouse clip if she did not cooperate with investigators.

UTAH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS STATE THREATENED WITNESSES AHEAD OF TRIAL IN HUSBAND’S POISONING

Kouri Richins, a Utah parent of 3 who wrote a children's publication astir coping with grief aft her husband's decease and was aboriginal accused of fatally poisoning him, looks connected during a tribunal proceeding successful 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)

Richins has pleaded not blameworthy and denies sidesplitting her husband.

Prosecutors allege Richins poisoned her hubby with a cocktail laced with illicit fentanyl portion the mates was celebrating astatine their location successful March 2022. 

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A aesculapian examiner aboriginal determined Eric Richins had much than 5 times the lethal magnitude of fentanyl successful his system. Charging documents besides authorities his gastric fluid contained 16,000 ng/ml of quetiapine, an antipsychotic medicine sometimes utilized arsenic a slumber aid.

Authorities assertion the fatal poisoning was not the archetypal attempt. Court records allege Richins tried to poison her hubby weeks earlier connected Valentine’s Day 2022 by slipping fentanyl into his favourite sandwich. Eric Richins reportedly broke retired successful hives and struggled to respire aft eating the sandwich, utilized his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl earlier falling dormant for hours. He survived the incident.

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Utah writer Kouri Richins allegedly tried to bargain her husband's beingness security benefits earlier his decease successful March 2022. (KPCW via AP/ household handout)

Prosecutors allege Richins killed her hubby arsenic portion of a program to cod millions of dollars successful beingness security proceeds. Court documents accidental she purchased aggregate beingness security policies totaling astir $2 million, aboriginal changing the beneficiary to herself without her husband’s authorization. Authorities accidental Eric Richins discovered the alteration and switched the beneficiary backmost to his concern partner.

Investigators besides allege Richins planned to usage the security wealth to decorativeness and flip a $2 cardinal Wasatch County mansion, an concern Eric Richins’ household said helium did not o.k. of.

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Richins was arrested successful May 2023 and aboriginal gained nationalist attraction aft publishing a children’s publication astir grief pursuing her husband’s death.

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Jury enactment is scheduled to statesman Feb. 10, with proceedings acceptable to commencement Feb. 23 earlier Judge Richard Mrazik. The justice has not yet ruled connected the defence question to alteration venue.

Kathy Nester, 1 of Richins’ defence attorneys, is besides representing Tyler Robinson, the suspect charged successful a separate, unrelated Utah transgression lawsuit stemming from the fatal shooting of blimpish commentator Charlie Kirk. Robinson is scheduled to look successful tribunal this week.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].