The Summit County Attorney’s Office agrees that locals are more familiar with the case, but it says the court will still be able to find eight impartial jurors among a field of 32,000.
Richins is the Kamas mother of three accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins. She’d go on to write a children’s book about grieving him.
She now faces nine felonies, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and financial crimes. Richins pleaded not guilty to every count and maintains her innocence.
Her attorneys worry that a Summit County jury will have been exposed to too much information about the case to be impartial. In March, they asked 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik to move the trial out of Summit County.
Prosecutors responded March 31.
Their court filing states the defense team wants to bring Salt Lake County jurors to Summit County instead of moving proceedings to the valley.
But the way prosecutors interpret state law, they say that wouldn’t be allowed.
And county attorneys say the telephone survey the defense team relied on to show the Salt Lake County jury pool would provide more impartial potential jurors “falls well below professional standards.”
Prosecutors surveyed Summit County jurors themselves.
Of the 1,500 who have already received jury summons, prosecutors say their polling data indicates 600 may have little or no familiarity with the Richins murder case.
The state further argues that a majority of the 1,500 haven’t formed an opinion about it.
Utah requires eight jurors and four alternates. It’s one of only six states to seat fewer than 12 official jurors.
Prosecutors also say the defense team overstated the prominence of Eric Richins’ family in the community when they argued a Summit County jury would be biased.
The victim’s sister says Richins is a common name across northern Utah that has “branched and sprawled” since the family homesteaded the Henefer area.
Prosecutors point out Eric Richins and Kouri Darden Richins both grew up outside of Summit County.
The defense painted Kouri Richins as low-income and non-LDS too. Prosecutors contend that a “white, 35-year-old, married, mother of three, middle-class, master’s degree-educated realtor and entrepreneur” fits the Summit County mold.
Mrazik will hear oral arguments later this month before deciding whether to move the trial out of Summit County.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in less than three weeks. It’s unclear if the four-week trial will need to be delayed if the venue changes to Salt Lake County.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW. For a full list, click here.
