Judge in Kouri Richins Trial Has Testy Exchange With the Defense

True crime fans are glued to their TV screens as the Kouri Richins's murder trial is broadcast. Richins is accused of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl in Kamas, Utah. The murder happened in 2022, and the trial began on Feb. 23, 2026, per ABC7 News. Eric died after his drink was laced with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl.

After Eric's former business partner, Cody Wright, testified that Eric took the barbiturate Red Devils in high school, things got heated in court after Cody said he didn't know what made a drug illicit.

"I don't know what illicit street drugs entail," said Cody. "I know he used some form of drugs; I don't know what they are exactly," per KTXS. The defense then tried to impeach him as a witness, saying that he gave false testimony. Judge Richard Mrazik ruled that nothing impeachable happened.

Judge Richard Mrazik and defense attorney Kathryn Nester had a heated exchange after she claimed Cody's testimony was false.

"Cody Rice says he has no idea what Red Devils were," she said. "He says prior to that, that he is very aware that Eric took pain pills in high school. He says that clear as day."

The judge replied, "Why don't we just ask him what he knows?"

"We can, but," she replied as the judge said she had no foundation to impeach the witness. "Oh, you don't want that," said the judge.

"I want to impeach him with this document only," she said.

"You don't have any foundation that Red Devils are illicit street drugs, though. So you need that foundation. ... But that's not illicit street drugs. And that wasn't the question. This is an important difference. Nobody asked this gentleman or shown."

"Your Honor," she interrupted, and the judge replied, "Please don't speak over me so that you have a clean record."

Richins purchased $900 worth of fentanyl through her housekeeper after she claimed the pills from her first purchase were "not strong enough." She allegedly put the drugs on Eric's sandwich on Valentine's Day, but he became ill. She allegedly tried again by putting the drug in his drink, and on March 4, 2022, she called 911 at 3:21 a.m. to say that Eric wasn't breathing. He was pronounced dead at 4:58 a.m.

Eric had transferred his business and house into a trust before his death, and Richins attacked his sister over it when she found out days later. He's also removed her from his life insurance policy. The prosecution and defense are both expected to give closing arguments on March 16.