Utah Supreme Court declines to hear Kouri Richins’ appeal, clearing path for murder trial in Summit County

Richins looks on during a court appearance on May 15, 2024. Richins, is acccused of fatally poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Photo: Rick Bowmer | AP

PARK CITY, Utah — The Utah Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from Kouri Richins, the Kamas woman accused of fatally poisoning her husband, paving the way for a jury trial to be scheduled in Summit County.

The high court issued its decision Friday, rejecting Richins’ request for an interlocutory appeal of Judge Richard Mrazik’s earlier ruling to keep the trial in Summit County rather than moving it to Salt Lake County. As reported by KSL, the court cited Rule 5 of Utah’s appellate procedures, noting such appeals are only granted if the matter involves “substantial rights” likely to affect the case’s final outcome.

The Supreme Court’s decision follows Richins’ failed bid to relocate the trial over concerns about extensive media coverage and its potential impact on selecting an impartial jury. Judge Mrazik, however, concluded that a fair jury could be chosen in Summit County, noting that both Richins and her late husband, Eric Richins, grew up outside the area and that the local population is diverse. He also pointed out that much of the media attention originated from outlets in Salt Lake County.

In response to the high court’s ruling, Summit County prosecutors filed a motion Friday asking the judge to lift the stay and set a new trial date, along with other pretrial deadlines. As of Tuesday, Richins’ legal team had not yet responded.

Richins, 35, is charged with aggravated murder and attempted murder in connection with her husband’s death in March 2022. Prosecutors allege she gave Eric Richins a fatal dose of fentanyl, weeks after an alleged earlier attempt to poison him on Valentine’s Day.

In addition to the murder charges, Richins faces multiple felony counts, including distribution of a controlled substance, insurance fraud, filing fraudulent insurance claims, and forgery. She has also been charged in a separate case involving mortgage fraud and additional forgery allegations.

Richins, a mother and real estate agent, drew national attention after she published a children’s book about grief, featuring her children, roughly a year after her husband’s death.

A hearing to set the new trial schedule is expected to be announced soon.