Prosecutors have said they did not anticipate the “overwhelming media interest” in the case against Kouri Richins.
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And the allegations do seem made-for-TV: the Kamas mom and realtor is accused of poisoning Eric multiple times—eventually fatally—attempting to claim his estate and secret life insurance payouts, and then writing a children’s book to help her three boys grieve his death.
Dateline NBC has already done one episode; other TV specials and documentaries are in the works.
Media coverage is actually the biggest issue in the case as 2023 draws to a close. Prosecutors motioned unsuccessfully for a sweeping gag order, and the defense recently asked for sanctions when the state released a now highly-reported letter Kouri wrote in jail.
“I have assiduously tried to avoid news coverage of the case just to make sure that my consideration of it wasn't polluted by any inaccuracies in the popular media, but even I've bumped into the cover of People magazine," That’s Third District Judge Richard Mrazik said at a Nov. 3 hearing
That was the same hearing which took up the issue of the six-page “Walk the Dog” letter found in Kouri’s cell.
Prosecutors say Kouri wrote the letter to her mother, encouraging her brother to lie for her. The defense objected when it was made public, saying it taints the character of Kouri and her family.
Mrazik concluded prosecutors weren’t irresponsible to release the letter.
But now there’s a new set of papers holding up the case. Defense attorneys say there are documents Kouri gave them in an envelope labeled “attorney-client privilege” that they don’t want to give up.
Prosecutors allege the documents could be important evidence. Jailers recorded Kouri telling her brother over the phone the pages are part of another fictional book.
Mrazik appointed Jaime Brackin, deputy city attorney for St. George and former deputy Summit County attorney, to review the material for prosecutors. She isn’t allowed to tell prosecutors what the envelope contains, but it’s her job to argue the defense should hand it over.
If the court rules the documents aren’t privileged, that doesn’t automatically mean they’ll become public. The court then needs to determine if they’re relevant to the case.
Brackin filed her initial argument under seal Dec. 22. The defense has two weeks to respond and a hearing will be scheduled by mid-January.
Until the dispute over the rest of Kouri’s writing is settled, the court won’t schedule a preliminary hearing or move on to jury selection. The murder trial is still months away, at least.