UT - Kouri Richins, 33, Author, wife, mom, charged in husband’s unexpected death last year, May 2023 #2

[Seattle1]

New information revealed about search of Kouri Richins’ cell

Prosecutors want Kouri Richins’ attorneys to hand over the rest of a letter she wrote in prison.

www.kpcw.org

10/13/23


It wasn’t clear if Kouri had actually written the rest of the new book. But now she says there are 60 more pages she gave her attorney Skye Lazaro.

Here’s where things get confusing.

Prosecutors want the rest of the “Walk the Dog” letter, saying a fictional book isn’t attorney-client privileged information. But Lazaro says the writing is privileged information and hasn’t shared anything with prosecutors.

Kouri passed the documents to her attorney in an envelope marked “Skye Lazaro (Attorney Privilege),” so authorities at the Summit County Jail didn’t search it.

And now prosecutors believe a second letter—which they previously thought Kouri destroyed—left the jail in the envelope too. Kouri had held up the letter for her mom to read during a video call, and prosecutors believe it was written by another inmate to Kouri.

The Summit County Attorney’s Office says neither fictional books nor inmate communications are confidential.

[..]

Prosecutors say the two parties had agreed she would give the envelope’s contents to a third-party attorney to filter out or redact any confidential information. Lazaro later disputed their characterization of the conversation, saying there’s no such agreement.

“We did meet and try to resolve these issues,” the defense attorney said. “I said I'd take a look at it and think about it.”

Ultimately, Lazaro decided not to hand over the envelope’s contents, so prosecutors asked the court Oct. 12 to compel her to do so.

That brings the total number of motions filed since the Summit County Sheriff’s Office found the “Walk the Dog” letter to five.

Here they are in order: first, the state motioned to prohibit Kouri from speaking with her mother and brother.

Second, the defense motioned to hold the state in contempt of court, saying the “Walk the Dog” letter should never have been made public.

Third, the defense doubled down and motioned for all charges against Kouri to be dropped over the handling of the “Walk the Dog” letter.

Fourth, the prosecution motioned for more time to respond to the attempt to get charges dropped.

Then Oct. 12, the prosecution filed its motion demanding to see what was in the envelope Kouri gave to Lazaro.

Judge Richard Mrazik called a hearing that same day to sort through it all. He decided prosecutors won’t get extra time to respond to Lazaro’s motion to dismiss all charges.

Instead, the first three motions—all related to the search of Kouri’s cell—will be handled at the Nov. 3 hearing already on the court’s calendar.

Whether Lazaro has to hand over what Kouri gave her in the envelope the day of the search will be determined at a later date.

 

[Seattle1]

Kouri Richins claims 'prosecutorial misconduct' will prevent fair trial

A new motion filed by Kouri Richins attorney cites several issues as grounds for her murder charges to be dismissed.

www.courttv.com

10/16/23

Richins’ latest motion claims that it was improper for the prosecution to call the letter witness tampering when they have not charged her with such an offense. It claims this would sway potential jurors, “such that a fair trial in this case is no longer possible.”

The motion also claims that the letter was likely obtained in an illegal search. The police report used by the prosecutors claims that Summit County Jail personnel found the letter folded up inside a book. However, the defense counters that this was not the case — they say it was in an envelope titled “Skye Lazaro (Attorney Privilege)” and had no crease marks.

For these reasons, Richins’ attorneys are asking the judge to dismiss all charges against her. But if this request is denied, the defense requests that, the court alternatively move the trial venue to Salt Lake County, disqualify the Summit County Attorney’s Office from prosecuting the case, disallow the “Walk the Dog” letter from evidence, and ask the jury to “preclude consideration of the State’s false claim that Ms. Richins had engaged in witness tampering.”

 

[Seattle1]

State claims Kouri Richins' attorneys not providing all evidence, asks them to release it

The state is claims Kouri Richins' attorneys are not giving them all the evidence they're looking for.

kutv.com

10/13/23

The motion claimed both sides agreed the writings would be handed over to a “taint attorney...” an independent lawyer who would read the documents, take out the protected information and give the rest to the prosecution. However, the state claimed the defense later told them they wouldn’t hand over the pages.

The motion quotes the defense attorney as saying, “I have consulted with our [General Counsel] on the matter, and unfortunately from an ethical standpoint and duties to my client, my hands are tied.”

Prosecutors state, “Defense counsel’s statements as well as the Defendant’s course of conduct indicate that the Envelope contains additional non-privileged material that will help the State adequately prepare its case for trial, including the letter written by another inmate. Defense counsel’s unwillingness to disclose the general subject matter of the Envelope’s broader content only amplifies this indication.”

[..]

Defense attorney Sky Lazaro issued a statement to KUTV responding to the motion:

“I dispute the Prosecution’s characterization of [that] conversation. The attorney-client privilege is the most sacred privilege recognized by American jurisprudence. I take the responsibility to protect that privilege very seriously.”

A status hearing was set for Nov. 3, when the judge will consider the state’s motion for a no-contact order between Richins and her mother. The judge will also hear arguments from the defense’s request to drop all charges and to sanction the state for prosecutorial misconduct.

 

[Seattle1]

Thanks @Cindizzi -- Utah has similar provision for Discovery:

(d)(2) Upon a sufficient showing the court may at any time order that discovery or inspection be denied, restricted, or deferred, that limitations on the further dissemination of discovery be modified or make such other order as is appropriate. Upon motion by a party, the court may permit the party to make such showing, in whole or in part, in the form of a written statement to be inspected by the judge alone. If the court enters an order granting relief following such an ex parte showing, the entire text of the party's statement shall be sealed and preserved in the records of the court to be made available to the appellate court in the event of an appeal.

Rule 16 - Discovery, Utah R. Crim. P. 16

Rule 16 - Discovery, Utah R. Crim. P. 16 | Casetext Search + Citator

Read Rule 16 - Discovery, Utah R. Crim. P. 16, see flags on bad law, and search Casetext’s comprehensive legal database

casetext.com

 

[Seattle1]

Apparently there was a motion filed by defense against the prosecution motion to audio and video the defense . Theres a pdf link posted on the FB page but I can’t get it to download.

If this is a WS approved FB link such as MSN or reporter's FB page, can you please post the FB link. Thank you!

 

[neesaki]

If this is a WS approved FB link such as MSN or reporter's FB page, can you please post the FB link. Thank you!

I found the link to it on the KR FB page on this case. I just wasn’t able to copy it here in original format. I‘m just not that tech savvy, lol.
If it’s not WS approved, my apologies.

 

[neesaki]

DBM DOUBLE POST

 

[riolove77]

Ms. Lazaro better tread carefully. She’s playing it fast and loose with her Bar card over this wench.

My very professional opinion only.

 

[Countem]

Am I the only one that suspects that Kouri is currently frantically drafting the other 60 pages? MOO.

 

[303gmf]

I found the link to it on the KR FB page on this case. I just wasn’t able to copy it here in original format. I‘m just not that tech savvy, lol.
If it’s not WS approved, my apologies.

Links on that FB page troublesome for me as well
A mess of a site but only one I’ve found

 

[neesaki]

Ms. Lazaro better tread carefully. She’s playing it fast and loose with her Bar card over this wench.

My very professional opinion only.

Thank you very much for you’re professional opinion.

 

[windrower]

Am I the only one that suspects that Kouri is currently frantically drafting the other 60 pages? MOO.

Yes, that’s the exact image in my mind. Except, she doesn’t have her ghost writer, so whatever will she do?

 

[Cinnabutt1]

Kouri Richins was on the news promoting a children’s book on grief. Her husband had “unexpectedly died” a year before leaving their three little boys in despair.

However, she was just arrested for her husband’s murder, being accused of intentionally lacing his drink with a fatal dose of fentanyl.

She is a nurse.

She was praised as a good mom when she promoted the book.

Ugh.

Utah author of book on grieving death charged with murder

After her husband died last year, she wrote a children’s book on grief. Kouri Richins was arrested on Monday in Utah and is accused in charging documents of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in Kamas, a small mountain town near Park City. Prosecutors allege...

www.yahoo.com

Utah woman who wrote book about grief following husband's death faces murder charge

A woman who wrote a children’s book about coping with grief following the death of her husband was charged with murder Monday.

www.abc4.com

MEDIA, MAP & TIMELINE THREAD **NO DISCUSSION**

Thread #1

I’ve been keeping up with this one because it is so incredibly sinister and chilling. I don’t know if she was a nurse though? Everything I have read up until now implies she was a sort of “hobby” real estate agent, meaning she was an upper middle to upper class, mostly stay at home mom, who sold or flipped a home here and there.

 

[Cinnabutt1]

IKR??

"Can the FBI find deleted messages?"

Yes, Kouri, yes they can. That's one of their jobs that they are very good at.

Wow she was way over her head. Even I know how to recover deleted text messages. You just need iCloud account passwords and set them up as a user on your computer, then get their phone and within 10 seconds can recover deleted messages within the last 30 days. I only know this because I had to do it once when my child was making a lot of bad choices, for their safety. Also, a CHECK from her business account for the fentanyl? Just one absurd decision after another.

 

[arielilane]

In a phone call with her brother, Kouri Richins details the plot of the novel she's allegedly writing from jail.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[AnyNameIWish]

I’ve been keeping up with this one because it is so incredibly sinister and chilling. I don’t know if she was a nurse though? Everything I have read up until now implies she was a sort of “hobby” real estate agent, meaning she was an upper middle to upper class, mostly stay at home mom, who sold or flipped a home here and there.

Looked up her last name in the state Nurse license verification and didn't see her. Her LinkedIn shows a degree in Human Resorces and a recent job as an admin at a hospital- no Nursing degree mentioned.

I also was under the impression she was a nurse for some reason!?

 

[Teche]

Yes, that’s the exact image in my mind. Except, she doesn’t have her ghost writer, so whatever will she do?

She will have to use large letters to fill 60 pages.

 

[iamshadow21]

Looked up her last name in the state Nurse license verification and didn't see her. Her LinkedIn shows a degree in Human Resorces and a recent job as an admin at a hospital- no Nursing degree mentioned.

I also was under the impression she was a nurse for some reason!?

It's in the foundational post of the thread. I believe it got debunked pretty quickly, but it's still there. I think she's done admin, retail, and real estate, from memory.

MOO

 

[gitana1]

I’ve been keeping up with this one because it is so incredibly sinister and chilling. I don’t know if she was a nurse though? Everything I have read up until now implies she was a sort of “hobby” real estate agent, meaning she was an upper middle to upper class, mostly stay at home mom, who sold or flipped a home here and there.

Yes. I think you’re right. That was misinformation by me. She did work as a hospital administrator of some sort for many years. But I have no info she was a nurse of any kind.

 

[gitana1]

In a phone call with her brother, Kouri Richins details the plot of the novel she's allegedly writing from jail.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.