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Utah mom Kouri Richins couldn’t stop flashing a sarcastic smile as prosecutors laid out why she allegedly poisoned her husband — and then wrote a children’s book about grief for their kids.
Richins, 35, appeared to derisively smirk at one point as prosecutor Brad Bloodworth asked jurors to convict her of fatally dosing a Moscow Mule cocktail she gave hubby Eric Richins, 39, with five times the fatal amount of fentanyl on March 4, 2022.
At one point, the mom of three and failed house flipper appeared annoyed and whispered to her defense lawyers prompting them to raise an objection.
But Judge Richard Mrazik denied the objection and allowed the prosecutor to continue.
Throughout the prosecution’s arguments, Richins continued making faces, including furrowing her eyebrows, grinning and occasionally hurriedly leaning over and speaking with the defense team.
When Bloodworth wrapped up, defense lawyer Kathy Nester unsuccessfully made a bid for mistrial, claiming Bloodworth had made missteps during his closing.
Nester claimed he shouldn’t have referred to how Richins appeared emotionless in court during certain critical points of testimony and he shouldn’t have referred to one witness calling her a black widow. Bloodworth also wrongly referred to one of her actions as “narcissistic,” Nester claimed.
Mrazik denied the motion for mistrial but did instruct the jury they should only consider their own reading of Richins’ demeanor in court.
Prosecutors claim she murdered Eric believing she’d inherit his $4 million estate and help clear her $4.5 million debt, she racked up in a failed real estate business.
Richins allegedly also sought to run away with her handyman lover.
Two weeks before Eric’s death, Richins allegedly first tried to kill him by lacing his sandwich with fentanyl.
But the defense claimed the murder investigation was “sloppy,” and riddled with reasonable doubt.
Richins is accused of aggravated murder and related charges and faces up to 25 years behind bars if convicted on the top count. She’s pleaded not guilty.
Jurors began deliberating Monday afternoon.
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