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Children’s book author Kouri Richins says scandal and notoriety poisoned her murder trial

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Children’s book author Kouri Richins says scandal and notoriety poisoned her murder trial

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Attorneys for a Utah woman accused of murdering her husband are seeking a last-minute change of venue, arguing the case has become too well-known locally for justice to be decided by an impartial jury.

Kouri Richins, a Utah children’s book author and mother of three, is charged with murdering her husband, Eric Richins, in a case that has drawn intense scrutiny and widespread media attention.

In a motion filed Friday, defense attorneys argued that publicity surrounding the case has so permeated Summit County that seating an impartial jury is no longer realistic. Jury questionnaires cited in the filing show more than 85% of potential jurors recognized the case, with roughly 60% saying they followed it closely.

Defense attorneys said that once jurors who acknowledged familiarity with the case or who indicated bias or other disqualifying issues are removed, the remaining jury pool shrinks to approximately 72 potential jurors, far fewer than what is typically needed to seat a jury and alternates in a felony trial.

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Kouri Richins, left, 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, speaks to her attorney, Kathy Nester, during a hearing in 2024. (Rick Bowmer/AP Photo)

“With a jury pool of less than 100 jurors it will be nearly impossible for Ms. Richins to receive a fair trial by a jury of her peers,” the defense wrote.

The filing also warns that some jurors may not fully realize how familiar they are with the case until specific evidence is discussed in court. Defense attorneys said referencing certain details, including a document referred to as the “walk the dog letter,” could trigger additional jurors to recognize the case during jury selection, further shrinking the pool.

To seat a jury of eight with four alternates, the defense notes, the court must qualify at least 43 jurors, something attorneys argue is unlikely given the number of disqualifications already identified.

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The venue request marks the second defense motion filed in the past week, as jury selection approaches. In a separate motion filed last week, Richins’ attorneys accused members of the prosecution team of witness intimidation, alleging a key witness was threatened with arrest and jail time if she did not cooperate with investigators.

UTAH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS STATE THREATENED WITNESSES AHEAD OF TRIAL IN HUSBAND’S POISONING

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 court hearing in 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)

Richins has pleaded not guilty and denies killing her husband.

Prosecutors allege Richins poisoned her husband with a cocktail laced with illicit fentanyl while the couple was celebrating at their home in March 2022. 

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A medical examiner later determined Eric Richins had more than five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system. Charging documents also state his gastric fluid contained 16,000 ng/ml of quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication sometimes used as a sleep aid.

Authorities claim the fatal poisoning was not the first attempt. Court records allege Richins tried to poison her husband weeks earlier on Valentine’s Day 2022 by slipping fentanyl into his favorite sandwich. Eric Richins reportedly broke out in hives and struggled to breathe after eating the sandwich, used his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl before falling asleep for hours. He survived the incident.

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Utah author Kouri Richins allegedly tried to steal her husband’s life insurance benefits before his death in March 2022. (KPCW via AP/ family handout)

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Prosecutors allege Richins killed her husband as part of a plan to collect millions of dollars in life insurance proceeds. Court documents say she purchased multiple life insurance policies totaling nearly $2 million, later changing the beneficiary to herself without her husband’s authorization. Authorities say Eric Richins discovered the change and switched the beneficiary back to his business partner.

Investigators also allege Richins planned to use the insurance money to finish and flip a $2 million Wasatch County mansion, an investment Eric Richins’ family said he did not approve of.

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Richins was arrested in May 2023 and later gained national attention after publishing a children’s book about grief following her husband’s death.

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Jury selection is scheduled to begin Feb. 10, with trial set to start Feb. 23 before Judge Richard Mrazik. The judge has not yet ruled on the defense motion to change venue.

Kathy Nester, one of Richins’ defense attorneys, is also representing Tyler Robinson, the defendant charged in a separate, unrelated Utah criminal case stemming from the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Robinson is scheduled to appear in court this week.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco hotels see steady World Cup business, but fall short of Super Bowl surge

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San Francisco hotels see steady World Cup business, but fall short of Super Bowl surge


Bay Area bars and restaurants are packed for World Cup watch parties this week, but San Francisco hotels are not seeing the same sell-out crowds experienced during the Super Bowl earlier this year.

While the Super Bowl brought a concentrated week of events that sent hotel prices soaring into the thousands, the World Cup spans more than a month. The extended timeline has resulted in a slower, steadier trickle of out-of-town soccer fans booking rooms.

The Bay Area has several exciting matches on the schedule at Levi’s Stadium, but none feature top-seeded teams or the mega-star power seen when “Messi mania” previously swept the region.

“We knew we weren’t going to get any of the first-place teams. We weren’t going to get Brazil, or Germany, or any of the teams carrying big fan bases — Messi, Ronaldo,” said Alex Bastian, CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. “But that being said, this is still such a great thing, because people are coming here from around the world.”

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Bastian noted that the city’s hospitality industry is still in a strong position for the summer.

“We have a great convention calendar for the month of June, and because we were prepared, we’re doing much better compared to our colleagues across the country,” he said.

A significant surge in hotel bookings could still happen if Levi’s Stadium secures a match featuring Team USA. That possibility grew stronger following the U.S. team’s 2-0 win over Australia on Friday.

“I’m really excited about Team USA. I’m USA all the way,” Bastian added. “I’m hopeful that when that game is played here, the world will come check out San Francisco as well.”

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Denver, CO

Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates

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Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates


The night belonged to Kyle Freeland, who joined the 1,000 K Club. The moment belonged to Braxton Fulford. The ninth inning — and a big sigh of relief — belonged to closer Antonio Senzatela.

Fulford hit a two-run, two-out, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning off Mason Montgomery to lead the Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Coors Field in front of a Friday night crowd of 33,596.

Fulford drove in Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg, who scratched out back-to-back two-out singles off Montgomery.

“I had been warming up in the cage for that at-bat for a couple of innings, so I felt pretty prepared,” Fulford said. “I got an advantage count (3-1) and I knew he was going to come with the heater and I was all over it.”

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Fulford caught Montgomery for three seasons at Texas Tech, so he knew the left-hander’s tendencies.

“It’s kind of unfortunate for pitchers that you catch, because you kind of get to see their stuff,” Fulford said. “You kind of understand more of who they are. So I do feel like I had the advantage there.”

In the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases against Senzatela with no outs on a single by Marcell Ozuna and an error on a groundball by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. But Senzatela struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Callihan and induced Jared Triolo to ground to Tovar, who started the game-ending double play.

“It was kind of a crazy ending to the game — bases loaded and no outs,” Freeland said. ” ‘Senza’ got a big punchout in that situation, picks up Tovar. Then Tovar gets another opportunity to turn a double play, and he gets it done.”

Before all of the late-game drama, Freeland pitched his best game of the season: 7 1/3 innings, two runs allowed on four hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. It marked the fourth time in his career that he pitched 7 1/3 or more innings.

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“Tonight, I thought he was absolutely exceptional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I thought his body language was impressive. He attacked the strike zone — relentlessly. His heater had good ‘vert’ tonight. The breaker was good. It seemed like he was in control all night.”

“Gritty” is the word often used to describe Freeland. Dominant was a more apt description on Friday night. History-making works, too. Freeland’s eight Ks gave him 1,001 for his career, joining right-hander German Marquez (1,069) as the only two pitchers in franchise history to eclipse 1,000. Freeland struck out Marcell Ozuna in the seventh for No. 1,000, and then promptly fanned Brandon Lowe for 1,001.

The hard-core Rockies fans behind the dugout gave Freeland a standing ovation.

“I’m very grateful for the fans always supporting me, and for making it this long in my career to reach some of these milestones, especially with one ballclub,”  said Freeland, who struck out eight and walked none for the second time in his career. “I definitely hear those fans when I pop out of the dugout after every inning.”

The 33-year-old Denver native blanked the Pirates for the first seven innings, giving up just two hits. Pittsburgh finally got to Freeland in the eighth, putting up back-to-back doubles by Esmerlyn Valdez and Triolo to cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1. Up to that point, it looked as if Freeland had the juice to throw a complete game, especially since he threw just 81 pitches.

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Seattle, WA

Suarez’s no-hit try ends on Naylor double in seventh, but Boston still tops Seattle

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Suarez’s no-hit try ends on Naylor double in seventh, but Boston still tops Seattle


Ranger Suarez carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Friday night.

Suarez (3-3) struck out five and walked three in 6 2/3 innings. His no-hit bid ended with Josh Naylor’s one-out double in the seventh.

The 30-year-old lefty earned his first win since April 27 against Toronto.

Caleb Durbin put the Red Sox ahead with a second-inning solo homer, his fifth of the year. Durbin had his second three-hit game this season, with his first coming against Tampa Bay on June 10.

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Ceddanne Rafaela scored on a wild pitch in the seventh, and Marcelo Mayer drove in two more runs with a bases-loaded single.

Carlos Narváez added a sacrifice fly before Seattle finally escaped the inning on a diving catch by Dominic Canzone in right field.

Suarez issued a two-out walk that loaded the bases in the seventh on his final pitch of the night, but Justin Slaten ended the threat by striking out pinch-hitter J.P. Crawford to preserve a 5-0 lead.

Mayer added one more insurance run with a ninth-inning RBI double. The Mariners got on the board thanks to Julio Rodríguez’s two-run homer in the ninth.

Seattle starter Bryce Miller (3-1) struck out seven in five innings. He allowed three hits and one run.

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Luis Castillo, who has started in all but three of his 258 career appearances, gave up five runs in four innings of relief as the Mariners revived their “piggyback” rotation.

Up next

Red Sox LHP Connelly Early (5-5, 3.81 ERA) starts opposite Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (5-3, 3.28) on Saturday night.



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