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Judge denies second request to move Richins trial away from Summit County

The defense had argued that results from a juror survey showed a fair murder trial was impossible.

(Rick Bowmer | AP) Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after her husband's death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, looks on during a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Park City.

Attorneys for a Kamas mother accused of killing her husband have long argued that close-knit Summit County could not guarantee Kouri Richins a fair trial.

They doubled down on that notion Jan. 30, arguing in court papers that the trial should happen in Salt Lake City because 85% of the 1,700 Summit County residents queried said they knew about the case.

It was the second time Richins’ attorneys asked for a change of venue, and 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik again denied the request Feb. 2.

Summit County prosecutors thought the questionnaire responses were consistent with previous community surveys the judge had reviewed when he ruled last April the trial would stay in Summit County.

Richins is charged with murder and attempted criminal homicide in connection with the March 2022 overdose death of her husband Eric Richins.

Read the full story at KPCW.org.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.