LIVE UPDATES | Day 5 of Kouri Richins murder trial - East Idaho News
Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three boys, is accused of fatally poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in 2022. She is on trial in Summit County, Utah, on charges of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud and forgery. Today is the fifth day of the trial. It is scheduled...
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11:37 a.m. There are 932 pages of transcript combined, according to Lewis. Judge Mrazik summarizes the state’s position and the objection from the defense. He denies the request. Carmen Lauber’s testimony is done for the day, but she will remain under subpoena. She is being asked to come back into the courtroom.
11:35 a.m. Judge says there are pieces of the transcript that are admissible as a non-hearsay exhibit, but there is not foundation to admit all of the transcripts. Bloodworth says the transcripts paint a picture that Carmen has been consistent “in the arc of her interview to appreciate the consistency.” Judge asks for the page counts of each of the exhibits.
11:29 a.m. Judge says they are out-of-court statements and are not permissible. “I don’t think I have a basis to admit them wholesale,” he says. Judge says the detectives could be called as witnesses. Judge asks Bloodworth how can be overcome the hearsay problem. Bloodworth agrees they are out-of-court statements but says they are not being offered for the truth – they are being offered in to show this is the evolution of her providing information to the detectives.
11:28 a.m. Judge asks Bloodworth to explain why he wants the interviews in. He says the defense has cherry-picked certain statements to impeach Carmen. To rehabilitate her credibility, the state says all of the interviews need to be admitted so jurors can understand the entire arc. “She is being credible. While she may be confused, she is not untruthful.”
11:25 a.m. Bloodworth has nothing further. Judge says we will have the legal discussion now so jury is excused. This is not the lunch dismissal, just the discussion over the legalities of admitting the jail interview transcripts. Carmen needs to step into the lobby during the discussion.
