Utah judge denies Kouri Richins request to disqualify judge

Utah Third District Judge Kara Pettit on July 29 denied Kouri Richins' request to disqualify Judge Richard Mrazik from post-trial proceedings in her murder case. The decision leaves Mrazik in place to consider Richins' separate request for a new trial, which remained unresolved as of July 30.

WGME reported that Pettit rejected the disqualification request because it lacked required supporting documents, was filed after Utah's deadline and did not establish bias serious enough to remove Mrazik. The ruling did not reject the new-trial motion itself.

The disqualification request failed on procedure and substance

Richins included the request to remove Mrazik in a motion for a new trial filed June 30. Pettit found that the request was not accompanied by a certificate stating that it was made in good faith or by an affidavit or unsworn declaration setting out facts that would show bias, prejudice or a conflict of interest.

Pettit also found that the request was late. The alleged conduct occurred during a trial that ended March 16, more than 21 days before the filing. Her order said the excerpts cited by the defense did not show the degree of favoritism or antagonism required to make fair judgment impossible, according to WGME.

Mrazik had sent the disqualification issue to Pettit for review rather than decide allegations about his own conduct. That referral paused further action until Pettit ruled; it did not by itself remove Mrazik from the case.

Defense says courtroom conduct denied a fair trial

KSL reported that Richins' lawyers sought a new trial over alleged judicial bias, the admission of financial-misconduct evidence and the cumulative effect of claimed trial errors. They said Mrazik repeatedly interrupted or corrected defense lawyers before the jury and treated prosecutors more favorably.

The lawyers also argued that evidence involving bounced checks, false bank statements and communications with lenders exceeded the scope of pretrial rulings and unfairly influenced jurors. Those assertions remain arguments in the pending new-trial motion; Pettit's order addressed whether Mrazik should be disqualified from handling it.

Richins is serving life without parole

The Associated Press reported that jurors deliberated for just under three hours on March 16 before convicting Richins of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery and two insurance-fraud counts. Prosecutors said she put five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in a cocktail consumed by her husband, Eric Richins, at their home near Park City in March 2022.

Mrazik sentenced Richins on May 13 to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and her attorneys said they planned to appeal the conviction and sentence. Richins maintained her innocence at sentencing.

Frequently asked questions

What did Pettit decide?
Pettit denied Richins' request to disqualify Mrazik from the case. She cited missing procedural documents, late filing and insufficient evidence of the level of bias required for disqualification.

Did the court deny Richins a new trial?
No. The July 29 order dealt only with the request to remove Mrazik. The separate new-trial motion remained pending as of July 30.

Why is Richins seeking a new trial?
Her lawyers allege that Mrazik showed bias before the jury, that prosecutors presented financial evidence beyond the limits of pretrial rulings and that the combined errors denied her a fair trial.

What sentence is Richins serving?
She is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Eric Richins.