Could Kouri Richins’ search history complicate her defense?
- Kouri Richins is accused of poisoning her husband's drink
- She reportedly searched about fentanyl and how to delete data from iPhones
- Her lawyer called it case research but one expert says it could be a hurdle
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(NewsNation) — A Utah woman’s Google searches could be an obstacle in her defense against charges alleging she poisoned her husband, NewsNation law and justice contributor Jennifer Coffindaffer said.
Kouri Richins is charged in connection with the death of her husband, Eric Richins. Following his death, she published a children’s book about grief titled, “Are You with Me?”
According to prosecutors, she poisoned her husband’s drink with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl inside a cocktail.
Court documents report Kouri Richins searched online for information about fentanyl, “luxury” prisons, and how to permanently delete information off an iPhone.
“Individuals who commit these crimes get onto Google and look at items that are very inflammatory toward them,” Coffindaffer said.
The woman’s lawyer said Kouri Richins was researching her case to see how evidence is processed, BBC reported.
Kourie Richins has not been convicted in her husband’s death. In the event of a conviction, the death penalty would be off the table.
“Her spending life in prison will be a harsh enough penalty in a lot of peoples’ minds,” Coffindaffer said.