Defense, prosecution rest their cases in Richins trial

Kouri Richins, center, mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after her husband's death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, looks on during a court hearing Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Park City, Utah. Photo: AP Photo // Rick Bowmer, Pool

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Both the defense and the prosecution rested their cases on Thursday in the murder trial for Kouri Richins in Park City. Richins is a Kamas mother who is accused of fatally poisoning her husband.

Richins has pleaded not guilty and elected to waive her right to testify. No witnesses were called by the defense.

Prosecutors rested their case Thursday afternoon after calling 42 individuals to testify since the beginning of the trial about two and a half weeks ago.

After 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik denied their request to acquit Richins of all five charges, the defense also rested Thursday.

Jurors have been released until Monday, when closing arguments will resume at 8:30 a.m.

Richins is accused of killing Eric Richins on March 4, 2022, with fentanyl. She is also accused of slipping drugs into his food, making him sick, on Valentine’s Day in 2022. Her trial is scheduled to last until March 27.

She is charged with aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder, which are first-degree felonies; two counts of insurance fraud, which is a second-degree felony; and forgery, which is a third-degree felony.