Closing statements begin Monday in the murder trial of a Kamas-area mom accused of killing her husband with fentanyl.
Kouri Richins has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated and attempted murder, forgery and two counts of insurance fraud.
Over the past three weeks, Summit County prosecutors put 42 witnesses on the stand to build their case. Richins’ attorneys did not mount a defense case.
Monday, the sides will use the evidence to persuade the jury that Richins did — or did not — fatally poison her husband.
Prosecutors believe her motive was partly financial and presented evidence about Richins’ mounting debt in her realty business.
The defense says prosecutors can’t prove how Richins would have given fentanyl to her husband and are expected to ask the jury to find her not guilty.
Court is scheduled to begin Monday at 8:30 a.m.
Judge Richard Mrazik is limiting the seating in courtroom B at the Summit County Justice Center after a request from the victim representative for Eric Richins' family Friday.
They had asked for more than one reserved row in the five-row gallery. To be fair, the judge said he had to give Kouri Richins' family an extra row as well.
The first row will still be reserved for credentialed media.
The families and close friends on either side of the case will get two rows each behind that. Who sits in front and who sits behind will still alternate each day.
That leaves no room left for other members of the general public for the remainder of the trial.
Seating in the back right section of the gallery is for court staff and media livestreaming the trial. The livestream will be available on KPCW's live blog.
