Defense attorneys for the Kamas mother of three filed the appeal April 30, after the same request was rejected by a 3rd District Court judge last month.
Richins’ defense team believes jurors should be chosen from Salt Lake County — not Summit County — because “extreme” and “adverse” media coverage around the case jeopardizes her right to a fair trial. They’ve previously said they would like to move the proceedings to a Salt Lake City courtroom or require jurors to drive to Summit County.
In his April ruling, Judge Richard Mrazik agreed that jurors from Salt Lake County could drive to the Silver Summit Justice Center near Park City. But he ruled that an impartial jury can be found in Summit County.
Mrazik paused all proceedings in the case to allow the defense team to appeal.
Richins is the former Kamas 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 for two years, since the court has twice denied requests for bail.
If the Utah Supreme Court decides to take up the issue of jury selection, it would be the second time it’s weighed in on the high-profile Summit County murder trial.
In February, justices previously denied a request from attorneys on both sides to select jurors in person rather than by video conferencing. They also affirmed that a two-county jury, with a mix of Salt Lake and Summit County residents, isn’t allowed under state law.
Defense attorneys say that ruling leaves open the possibility that the Summit County court could seat jurors from neighboring Salt Lake County.
Summit County prosecutors have argued state law doesn’t allow courts to field jurors from other counties. The defense team concedes there’s no statewide precedent for doing that, so they think that’s why the high court should weigh in.
A clerk for the supreme court said justices had yet to decide whether they would hear Richins appeal as of May 1. The four-week trial was initially scheduled to start April 28.
