Kouri Richins’ attorneys ask to withdraw from representing her in murder case
May 18, 2024, 7:00 PM | Updated: May 20, 2024, 6:56 am
Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband then wrote a children's book about grieving, speaks with her attorney Sky Lazaro during a bail hearing June 12, 2023, in Park City, Utah. (Rick Bowmer, Associated Press)
(Rick Bowmer, Associated Press)
PARK CITY, Utah — Attorneys for Kouri Richins requested to withdraw as her defense counsel and asked a judge to appoint new defense attorneys on Friday.
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The request, made in a court filing in the 3rd Judicial District Court, came the same day defense attorneys asked to disqualify a team of prosecutors who have accused the Kamas woman of fatally poisoning her husband and then writing a children’s book about loss.
Ray Quinney and Nebeker P.C., the law firm representing Richins, said in Friday’s court filing it “is hereby providing notice that it has a professional duty to withdraw from its current representation of the defendant.”
“The ethical mandate for withdrawal results from an irreconcilable and nonwaivable situation,” the filing states. “It first emerged from the civil cases in which the firm has been representing Ms. Richins, but is imputed to the firm as a whole and thus requires the firm to withdraw from its representation of the Defendant in this criminal proceeding.”
The attorneys said the “matter emerged after the hearing held on Wednesday,” which was delayed when Skye Lazaro, one of Richins’ attorneys, announced the defense would object to all 18 exhibits brought by prosecutors.
