UT - Kouri Richins, 33, Author, wife, mom, charged in husband’s unexpected death last year, May 2023 #3

[arielilane]

11:39 a.m. Sidebar over. On the call, Kaze asked Eric if he was ok and if he was going to go to the hospital. He also asked “what are you going to do about it.” Kaze spoke with his wife about the call with Eric that night. He also spoke with Cody Wright about the call after Eric died. Cody had a similar call with Eric. Bloodworth is done. Defense has no questions.


11:34 a.m. Kaze never saw Eric sick. Never saw him use drugs. Kaze recalls getting a call from Eric on Valentine’s Day 2022. Kaze says it was unlike any other conversation he ever had with Eric. Eric felt somber and this call was “a lot different.” Eric was very serious and sincere. Bloodworth asks Kaze if he offered Eric any advice. He gave him suggestions and asked some questions. Nester asks for sidebar.

11:32 a.m. Kaze says he and Eric communicated at least every other week. Kaze says he and Eric got to know each other very well. Eric was outgoing, confident, a fun person to be around, a magnetic personality, not shy, competitive – especially in sports. “He was extremely dependable. One of the best subcontractors I’ve ever had. If you asked him to do something, he didn’t forget. It was always done. Every time he said he would be somewhere or get something done, he always got it done.”


11:28 a.m. Court is back in session. Next witness is Joshua Kaze. He knew Eric Richins professionally and they were friends too. They went hunting, camping and hiking together. The last hike they went on in Colorado was physically demanding, Kaze says.

Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com​

 

[arielilane]

Next witness CB gave the defendant $45K to put down pmt on a house.

 

[arielilane]

Josh recalled a phone call he had with Eric Richins in Feb. 14, 2022.

Prosecution couldn't ask him over specific questions due to 'hearsay' objections.

NEXT WITNESS: Chelsea Barney, friend with Kouri for about 20 years.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2029629343920750899

Stepping out for @KUTV2News at Noon.

 

[Megnut]

Emotion from the defendant???? Witness says she considered KR to be her best friend.

 

[Megnut]

It was fleeting but something new flickered across KR's face, almost like she was going to tear up. It was the closest thing to a warm reaction I've seen from her, the only.

Back to frozen, emotionless.

JMO

 

[cujenn81]

NEXT WITNESS: Becky Lloyd, C&E Stone Masonry; worked there for 5 years.

Becky is recalling a conversation from 2021 where she said Kouri felt trapped in her relationship with Eric and it would be better if Eric was dead.

Kouri's reaction

View attachment 650391

https://twitter.com/x/status/2029615481125228738

I can’t stand seeing her face. There’s no way the jury hasn’t clocked the glares, snarky sneers, and condescending smirks on her face. She’s so transparent.

She’s not doing herself any favors. I’m not mad about that. I hope she continues. Her face in general just makes me angry.

 

[Megnut]

I bet that KR complained to everyone that, if she divorced ER, the teens of the prenup she signed, would be in force.

Painting ER to be a perk when we just learned that, even as he took steps to protect his finances from theft by KR abd to secure them for his sons, he was unwilling to cut her completely off.

And now we see, from this text string, that ER was worried about KR, sounds like he wanted her to get mental health treatment/counseling.

(If she was routinely giving him her meds, it seems reasonable to conclude she wasn't taking her meds as prescribed.)

KR was IMO unhinged.

JMO

 

[arielilane]

11:57 a.m. Chelsea says Kouri got a call one time from her doctor saying she might have cervical cancer. She needed to go in and see the doctor for a biopsy. This call was received when Chelsea and Kouri were at a brunch. Eric acted concerned, but didn’t want to overreact until they knew the diagnosis for sure. Chelsea says she did not know of Kouri or Eric using illicit drugs or pain pills.


11:49 a.m. Bloodworth moves to admit an Oct. 14, 2020, text exchange between Kouri and Chelsea. Kouri says if she dies, Eric did it. Another text says she doesn’t know what to do because if she owes him money, she’ll pay it. Chelsea says it’s getting out of hand and she doesn’t think Kouris should pay him anything, Let the attorneys decide. Kouri responds that Eric owes her triple but she doesn’t know what to do. She feels like an ass$$$ taking money out of the house but it’s technically her money. Chelsea asks how much she took out. Kouri responds, “A lot.” Chelsea asks how long she thinks it will take him to pay him back. Then says she worries Eric will hire a P.I. Kouri says it was $250k and will take her a couple months until her investments pay out. Kouri says she has to be “top notch careful.” Chelsea says to let the attorneys figure out the money stuff. Kouri says Eric is pushing her to go to counseling by herself. He thinks she is the “damn problem here but he’s not hearing himself.”

11:47 a.m. Chelsea learned Kouri obtained a home equity line of credit for $250,000 when they were on a vacation with some other friends to Sun Valley, Idaho, in October 2020. Kouri said Eric was mad at her and turned off her credit cards because he found out she look a loan out on the house. Kouri asked her friends if they could pay for the trip and she would reimburse them. Kouri told Chelsea she used the $250,000 to buy another house to flip and sell.


11:42 a.m. Next witness is Chelsea Barney. Bloodworth will question on behalf of the prosecution. Barney has been friends with Kouri since 9th grade. They spoke “all the time. Sometimes every day, sometimes every other.” They would see each other a couple of times a week or sometimes once a month. They traveled sometimes together. Chelsea considered Kouri her best friend.


Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com

 

[cujenn81]

11:39 a.m. Sidebar over. On the call, Kaze asked Eric if he was ok and if he was going to go to the hospital. He also asked “what are you going to do about it.” Kaze spoke with his wife about the call with Eric that night. He also spoke with Cody Wright about the call after Eric died. Cody had a similar call with Eric. Bloodworth is done. Defense has no questions.


11:34 a.m. Kaze never saw Eric sick. Never saw him use drugs. Kaze recalls getting a call from Eric on Valentine’s Day 2022. Kaze says it was unlike any other conversation he ever had with Eric. Eric felt somber and this call was “a lot different.” Eric was very serious and sincere. Bloodworth asks Kaze if he offered Eric any advice. He gave him suggestions and asked some questions. Nester asks for sidebar.

11:32 a.m. Kaze says he and Eric communicated at least every other week. Kaze says he and Eric got to know each other very well. Eric was outgoing, confident, a fun person to be around, a magnetic personality, not shy, competitive – especially in sports. “He was extremely dependable. One of the best subcontractors I’ve ever had. If you asked him to do something, he didn’t forget. It was always done. Every time he said he would be somewhere or get something done, he always got it done.”


11:28 a.m. Court is back in session. Next witness is Joshua Kaze. He knew Eric Richins professionally and they were friends too. They went hunting, camping and hiking together. The last hike they went on in Colorado was physically demanding, Kaze says.

Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com​

Too many cans of worms to cross that one. I’m REALLY curious what Eric told him.

 

[cujenn81]

Someone in the Court TV chat said “today’s episode is confusing”.

Grrr… this isn’t a TV drama!! This is real life with real people who have been through something traumatic and are being forced to go on international TV and talk about how their friend killed her husband!!

Sorry. Vent over.

 

[tlcya]

Someone in the Court TV chat said “today’s episode is confusing”.

Grrr… this isn’t a TV drama!! This is real life with real people who have been through something traumatic and are being forced to go on international TV and talk about how their friend killed her husband!!

Sorry. Vent over.

better than any soap opera I recall, so they aren't wrong. Sometimes real life is crazier than a soap opera.

 

[Megnut]

We haven't even got to "Walk the Dog" yet.

 

[Justice101]

So, Kouri's friend had to take a face value that everything Kouri said was the truth.

At least she did tell her the amount that she took out of the home.

I know Eric is probably not "lily white".. . but in the end, he did not file for divorce and she (allegedly) killed him for the $$$$.

True friends tell each other the WHOLE truth...not just cherry picking what makes Eric look bad and Kouri look good. But then again, we usually only hear one side or the other when it comes to marital problems.

I cannot imagine putting myself thru this trial if I was Kouri. Even if she is acquitted for reasonable doubt, she is known nationally now and what was said at this trial will follow her everywhere she goes.

 

[Justice101]

We haven't even got to "Walk the Dog" yet.

That will be interesting.

Other than Kouri, who can legally testify what she meant with that letter?

Her defense lawyer cannot say what Kouri meant, correct? Like he can't say it was just made up, correct? That is hearsay. Kouri herself would have to testify, would she not?

 

[Megnut]

Defense objecting again, vaguely.

Judge: I thought you and the State were going to work this out over the break.

Defense: we did not.

Judge: I'm going to go get myself a cup of coffee.

He's sooooooooo diplomatic!

Translation: Kids, I'm stopping this car.

JMO

 

[Leilei]

I just love this judge.
He's very patient, but he doesn't suffer any foolishness, especially with the defense.
He's got some snark in him, too
And that voice!
IMO.

 

[Megnut]

That will be interesting.

Other than Kouri, who can legally testify what she meant with that letter?

Her defense lawyer cannot say what Kouri meant, correct? Like he can't say it was just made up, correct? That is hearsay. Kouri herself would have to testify, would she not?

I anticipate constant objections from the Defense. They'll look like whack-a-moles.

 

[Justice101]

Kouri is just heads down constantly writing things down. It's obvious... she doesn't want to face her friend.

 

[Justice101]

wow, this woman got scammed and ripped off by Kouri. What a horrible person.

Did you all know about this before???

 

[Megnut]

Some friend.

KR signed the feed over to the house she'd promised her best friend, where her best friend had been living and paying the mortgage.

Is there anyone KR didn't screw over?

JMO