Two new developments have pulled the Kouri Richins case back into the spotlight: a $55 million court judgment against her, and obstruction charges against two Utah sheriffs tied to her prosecution.
Judge Richard Mrazik ordered Richins to pay $55,120,516 in a wrongful death case over the killing of her husband, Eric Richins. The total includes $10.8 million in economic damages, $3 million in non-economic damages ($1 million for each of her three sons), and more than $41.3 million in punitive damages. The judge noted that Richins did not dispute the factual statements in the motion. She was separately ordered to pay about $1.37 million in restitution to two insurers.
Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby and former Summit County Sheriff David Edmunds have been charged with obstruction of justice, and the cases were unsealed Wednesday. Both have pleaded not guilty. KPCW reported that investigators allege Rigby sent an anonymous letter with 13 misconduct allegations against the lead detective to prosecutors a week before the trial. The specific allegations in the public charging records remain redacted.
Could Richins get a new trial? She has asked for one, and the court has not yet decided. Her former attorney Skye Lazaro said the charges could benefit her depending on what the conduct was, and that the defense must show unfairness that compromised the proceedings. Nothing has overturned her conviction.
Related: What Did Kouri Richins Do? Utah Jury Just Answered That Question With a Guilty Verdict
