Grief author Kouri Richins who ‘murdered her husband’ shares ridiculous new qualifications as she demands jail release

A Utah mother of three accused of killing her husband and then writing a children’s book about grief has shared ridiculous new credentials as she asks a judge to grant her bail ahead of her trial.

Kouri Richins, 34, has been in state custody since May 2023, when she was charged with the murder of her husband, Eric Richins.

She has been a model prisoner ever since, her lawyers argued in an appeal for her release on bail Tuesday, pointing to several certificates she has received for completing prison programs. ABC 4 reports.

Those programs include “Raising Relational Kids in a Screen Driven World,” a six-month course on American history and the Constitution, and art and botany programs.

Richins has also been accepted into California Coat University’s Online Masters of Business Administration program and has enrolled in paralegal studies, her attorneys argued in court documents: according to Stadslift.

They also argued that Richins has spent far too long behind bars.

She was arrested on May 8, 2023, after calling 911 to report finding Eric “cold to the touch” at the foot of their bed.

Medical examiners later discovered that he had five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system, and Summit County’s chief prosecutor, Patricia Cassell, has alleged that Kouri put the obscene amount of drugs in Eric’s Moscow Mule cocktail that night, even though the family had of the woman said his death was an accident.

Prosecutors have argued that the couple fought over financial issues involving their $2 million, 10-acre home.

They said Eric found out that his wife had taken out a $250,000 line of credit and spent it, withdrew $100,000 from his bank accounts and spent more than $30,000 on his credit cards.

Kouri also stole about $134,000 from her husband’s business, intended for tax payments, the documents said.

Prosecutors also allege that Kouri purchased four different life insurance policies, which totaled more than $1.9 million between 2015 and 2017.

Yet the couple still signed an agreement that would grant her the sale of the house before Eric’s death.

Then, just one day after his death, search warrant affidavits revealed Kouri signed closing papers for the couple’s $2 million estate and invited friends to a party where she drank and partied.

Court documents further alleged that Kouri first tried to kill her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl just a month before she allegedly served him the spiked cocktail.

Prosecutors have alleged that a sandwich she got him on Valentine’s Day was left in the front seat of his truck with a note.

After his death, Kouri also benefited financially after writing a children’s book about grief.

She said in an interview that she was motivated to write the book after searching Amazon and Barnes and Noble and finding “nothing” to help her sons “cope,” and dedicated the book to Eric.

Kouri promoted it on television and radio, describing the book as a way to help children grieve the loss of a loved one.

Following her initial bail hearing in June 2023, Judge Richard Mrazik ruled that Richins would not be released on bail, stating that she posed a flight risk and a danger to the community due to the potential seriousness of the charges against her and the possibility of death . fine.

At the time, Richins’ attorneys argue, it appeared she would face trial on murder charges and financial crimes within months.

But after several delays, including a change of lawyers, the criminal trial has been postponed until May 2025.

The state has also since stated that it will not seek the death penalty in this case.

“At the time of the original detention hearing in June 2023, it was believed that a preliminary hearing and trial were imminent,” the attorneys wrote in their appeal.

“Based on the rescheduled trial date, if Ms. Richins is not released, she will have served two years in prison at the time of her trial and is presumed innocent.”

They noted that since his arrest, Richins “has repeatedly appeared before this Court without restriction and has acted respectfully and courteously at all times.” according to Fox13.

“The Court may now consider that pattern of positive behavior in determining whether conditions can be imposed that will ensure the safety of the community.”

The attorneys concluded by saying that if released on bail, Richins would live with her brother and sister-in-law in Salt Lake County, which they said would eliminate any risk of unintended interactions with potential witnesses in the case and allow her has supervised visits with her three sons, from whom she has become estranged.

She has had only one phone conversation with her children that lasted two seconds — and that required a court order, her lawyers alleged in court documents: per KPCW.

“She will be able to continue working towards her higher education degree and will be highly motivated to meet all the conditions set by the Court so that she can have supervised visits with her sons,” the appeal read.

‘Madam. Richins’ family is prepared to provide essential items such as food, clothing and educational resources, and they want to ensure she appears at all court proceedings as required.”

Judge Mrazik will now consider whether to grant Richin’s bail and will hear all arguments against the motion on Monday.

A second hearing to consider any additional motions is also scheduled for Nov. 12.