In an order issued June 6, the Utah Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Kouri Richins, who wanted a Salt Lake County jury to hear her case.
Her defense team had appealed 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik’s decision to hold the trial in Summit County with Summit County jurors.
They worry that the local community has been so saturated with information about the case that an impartial jury couldn’t be found. And if Salt Lake County jurors weren’t allowed to serve in Summit County, they indicated they’d like to move the trial down to the valley.
Richins is the former 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 since her 2023 arrest. District court has twice denied requests for bail.
The Utah Supreme Court has now twice denied jury-related appeals.
In February, it denied a request from both sides to select jurors in person rather than via video conferencing.
June 6, it reaffirmed that jurors will only come from Summit County, and the murder trial will happen at the Silver Summit Justice Center outside Park City.
The four-week trial had been set for May, but Mrazik delayed the proceedings indefinitely to allow for an appeal.
The Summit County Attorney’s Office immediately asked Mrazik to schedule a hearing to get the case moving again. Prosecutors declined to comment further.
Richins’ defense attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
