In an order issued June 6, the Utah Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Kouri Richins, who wanted a Salt Lake County jury to hear her case.
Her defense team had appealed 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik’s decision to hold the trial in Summit County with Summit County jurors.
They worry that the local community has been so saturated with information about the case that an impartial jury couldn’t be found. And if Salt Lake County jurors weren’t allowed to serve in Summit County, they indicated they’d like to move the trial down to the valley.
Richins is the former real estate agent accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins in 2022. She would go on to write a children’s book about grieving him and was arrested in 2023 in connection with his death.
She’s charged with nine felonies, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and financial crimes. Richins pleaded not guilty to each count and maintains her innocence. She’s been held at the Summit County Jail since her 2023 arrest. District court has twice denied requests for bail.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.
