Kouri Richins briefly appeared in Third District Court on Wednesday, though the third day of her murder trial was unexpectedly cut short. Defense attorney Kathy Nester began cross-examining lead crime scene technician Chelsea Gipson around 8:40 a.m., though it only lasted for about 40 minutes. J udge Richard Mrazik notified the jury he had another appointment he was unable to reschedule, and asked everyone to return in about an hour. When the court was back in session, Mrazik said an unforeseen circumstance arose, and he called an early recess for the day.  Testimony is scheduled to resume at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik listens during the first day of Kouri Richins’ murder trial on Monday in Summit County. Credit: AP Photo/Spenser Heaps, Pool Prosecutors called Gipson to the stand on Tuesday, where she testified about arriving at the Richins home on March 4, the morning Eric Richins died. Gipson detailed her role and responsibilities in documenting the scene and looking for anything that could explain his death. Nester began the defense team’s questioning of Gipson on Wednesday morning, focusing on her role as the “evidence lady.” The lawyer asked about how evidence is stored, protected and received.  For example, Gipson said she stored a bedsheet with traces of blood on it in evidence because it’s what Eric died on. Kouri was instructed to use the sheet to remove Eric from the bed to perform CPR, according to trial testimony.  Nester also questioned the crime scene technician about how certain evidence was documented, such as a wallet that is not seen on a bedroom nightstand in one photo and appears in another, or where certain medications were found. Specifically, Nester asked about a hydrocodone bottle found in the bedroom. She said it was never tested for fentanyl, since it remains with the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner as part of its own death investigation.  Gipson testified that she did not locate any drugs or drug paraphernalia in the Richins’ home on March 4. However, Nester suggested that sometimes people put illicit drugs in prescription pill bottles to hide them, which Gipson said she was familiar with. The defense has emphasized that no one knows what happened during the six hours in between when Kouri last saw her husband alive and when she found him dead, including when or how Eric ingested fentanyl.  Gipson maintained she was responsible for documenting the bedroom where Eric died upon her initial visit to the home on March 4, 2022, and collected other evidence during subsequent visits.  She also said she did not think Kouri was aware of the search warrant leading up to her arrest in May 2023. Gipson affirmed she is a critical part of the search process, serving as a “hub” for evidence, but that she isn’t involved in the execution of search warrants. Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies and investigators, as well as an agent with the United States Postal Service, who was investigating whether any drugs or drug paraphernalia could have been mailed to the home, were involved in that search. Kouri is charged with several felonies in connection with Eric’s death, including aggravated murder, attempted homicide and fraudulent insurance claims. Prosecutors allege she poisoned her husband with a fatal dose of fentanyl in March 2022, while her defense maintains she is innocent. She’s been held in the Summit County Jail without bail since her arrest. The post Third day of Kouri Richins trial paused by unexpected Third District Court recess appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less