Kouri Richins refused bail and remained in jail pending the murder trial

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah – Kouri Richins will remain behind bars in the Summit County Jail until she faces a jury in her murder trial next year, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Last month, Richins and her defense team appealed and requested a review of her bail conditions to enable her release from prison.

Richins was originally denied bail by Judge Richard Mrazik in 2023, when she originally faced the death penalty. The state announced this months later that it would no longer seek this punishmentwhich led Richins to request the opportunity to be released pending her trial.

In his ruling, Mzarik praised Richins for using her time in prison “as productively as possible,” but said the situation was “unifying” due to the threat of long sentences that could result in her “dying in prison.” creates a strong incentive for this.” [Richins] “causing harm to herself or witnesses in the case and evading the jurisdiction of the court” if she were released on bail.

Judge Mzarik also rejected a request early Tuesday from Richins' defense team to separate her attempted murder charge from an aggravated murder charge, which would have forced her to stand trial in separate trials. The defense team was also denied the opportunity to seat 12 jurors for the trial, while Mzarik stuck with eight.

Richins is accused of poisoning her husband Eric with a fatal dose of fentanyl in March 2022.