Grief Author Murder Trial — UT v. Kouri Richins — Full Sentencing

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: 00139 State of Utah versus Corey Riggins. Can I have counsel for the state make their appearance? [00:00:11] Speaker 2: Good morning, Your Honor. Brian Bloodworth, Lindsey Serbenak, and Margaret Olsen for the state. [00:00:16] Speaker 1: Thank you. And for the defense. [00:00:18] Speaker 3: Wendy Lewis, Captain Hester, and Alex Ramos for the defense. And this view is present. [00:00:23] Speaker 1: Very good. This is the time set for sentencing. The court plans to proceed as follows. First, I need to address three administrative matters. The setting of a restitution hearing, which the court proposes would include discussion of the state's request for recoupment of defense costs at that time. The state's request for a continuous protective order and any alleged inaccuracies in the pre-sentence investigation report. Second, I'd like to hear from counsel for the state and from those who wish to present a victim impact statement. Third, I'd like to hear from defense counsel and those that defendant desires to present information regarding the appropriate sentence. And finally, the court is rich and it's an opportunity to speak if she so chooses. Any objections, Mr. Glover? No, Your Honor. I have one other housekeeping matter if I may. Please. [00:01:19] Speaker 2: Your Honor, the defendant previously waived the jury as it relates to domestic violence finding. I cannot recall whether or not the court has actually made that filing and the state would ask the court to do that. [00:01:43] Speaker 1: I can't recall whether there was a stipulation about their status as cohabitants made on the record during the trial. That's the issue. [00:01:52] Speaker 2: Right. [00:01:53] Speaker 1: Your Honor. And I think that -- It doesn't impact the decisions today. It just impacts the record for any future offense that might be committed by this person. That is correct. Right. [00:02:07] Speaker 2: Your Honor. Your Honor, one thing. It will affect the analysis as it relates to a continuous protection. Understood. [00:02:15] Speaker 1: No, I understand your position. Yeah. [00:02:17] Speaker 4: Your Honor, I do believe we put that on the record during the jury instruction conference. Okay. We discussed specifically the cohabitant issue and you got us to make a statement on the record. [00:02:26] Speaker 1: Okay. Very good. So, I think there's a stipulation among counsel that the record includes a stipulation of fact recorded for the record that Eric Richens and Corey Richens were cohabitants under Utah law at all relevant times. Anything further, Mr. Blatter? No, I am. Ms. Nestor, Ms. Lewis, any objection to how the court intends to proceed? Yes. No. Okay. Fair warning to everyone inside the courtroom. As with the time when the verdict was read, everybody in the courtroom deserves our respect while they are in the courtroom. So, there can be no outward reactions to what's said today. This is an emotionally charged situation, reasonably so, but the bottom line is no outward reactions. If you feel overcome with emotion, please look down, keep your hands folded in your lap. Moreover, to those that might be coming to the podium to make statements today, please make sure you're addressing me, the court, not other people in the courtroom. You're, of course, allowed to reference other people in the courtroom, but speak to me. All right. Let's talk about setting the restitution here. What makes sense from the state's perspective? [00:03:56] Speaker 2: Your Honor, the restitution amounts that the state is seeking are, I don't know, well-known in the record, or the defendant, are well-known in the record. So, if we can proceed in very short order. I don't know if there's going to be much disputed on the amounts. Okay. [00:04:19] Speaker 1: From the defense team, what makes sense, please? [00:04:23] Speaker 4: We need an opportunity to brief these issues and do a little bit of research. We were surprised by some of the requests that came from us. The recruitment issues? Yes. Fair enough. So, we need to look into that. I know that I'm going to be out of town the first two weeks of June. I'm going to be out of the country. So, if we could do it before or after, that would be helpful. After it would work far better for me. Okay. Same. So, other than that. [00:04:53] Speaker ?: Ricky, what would you recommend? [00:04:54] Speaker 1: Is there an afternoon in which we don't have a ton of stuff set on the Friday afternoon? [00:05:04] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:05:19] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:05:21] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:05:34] Speaker 5: We're going to be out of town. [00:05:58] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:00] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:08] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:15] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:16] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:18] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:19] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:21] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:22] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:32] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:38] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:46] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:06:54] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:06:55] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:08:48] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:03] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:05] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:09:16] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:33] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:09:34] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:46] Speaker 2: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:56] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:09:58] Speaker 2: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:10:20] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:10:21] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:10:25] Speaker 2: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:11:25] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:11:26] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:11:37] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:11:46] Speaker 2: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:12:16] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:12:19] Speaker ?: We're going to be out of town. [00:12:20] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:12:46] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:13:03] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. [00:13:04] Speaker 1: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:13:16] Speaker 4: We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. We're going to be out of town. [00:13:46] Speaker 1: Thank you, Mr. Bloodworth. Any additional thoughts regarding the state's request for a continuous protection? No, I got it. [00:14:00] Speaker ?: All right. Full transparency. [00:14:04] Speaker 1: I don't like the result. But under this court's reading of Utah Code 78B 7804, subsection 3, the court determines as a matter of law that it cannot issue a continuous protective order in this case because it is evident that the victim of the domestic violence charges in this case for which Ms. Richards was convicted cannot possibly have a reasonable fear of future harm or abuse. It very well may be that this is not the result the legislature intended. And I would encourage the legislature to take a hard look at 78B 7804, subsection 3, to fill this gap explicitly. And I would encourage the legislature to do it. But they haven't done it yet. But they haven't done it yet. They know how to do it. And the court is not persuaded that this result is so far outside of what they could have possibly intended, given the overlay of the first amendment, that the absurdity doctrine requires a different result. And so while the court holds the legislature will make a legislative change that would provide protections for the members of the family of a deceit in an aggravated murder case like this, they haven't done it yet. And the court simply, in my view, does not have the authority to issue a continuous protective order in this case. In so ruling, the court expresses no opinion whatsoever, one way or the other, as to whether Eric Richards' family members might qualify for issuance of a stalking injunction in the future and expresses no opinion one way or the other as to whether the juvenile court will put in place restrictions regarding Ms. Richards' communications with her three boys. We submit that there are inaccuracies that are all related to the court. Anything further on that, Ms. Richards? No, Your Honor. [00:16:43] Speaker ?: No, Your Honor. Okay. Ms. Nester, may I ask you a couple of questions regarding the pre-sentence investigation report? Yes, sir. [00:16:47] Speaker 1: Have you had a chance to review it? We have, Your Honor. Have you had a chance to review it with Ms. Richards? We have, Your Honor. [00:16:51] Speaker 4: Okay. [00:16:52] Speaker 1: Are there any inaccuracies in the PSR that we need to address? [00:17:05] Speaker 4: We submit. We submit. There are inaccuracies. They're all related to the factual recitations which this court presided over the trial and is very familiar with. We have confidence the court remembers what happened at trial and remembers what was presented and we would submit. Okay. [00:17:23] Speaker ?: For the purpose of today's hearing, to the extent there are any factual inaccuracies in the pre-sentence investigation report regarding the factual background of this case, the court determines that those factual inaccuracies are not relevant to the court sentencing decision and do not affect the court's decision regarding the appropriate sentence one way or the other. [00:17:23] Speaker 1: Okay. Okay. Okay. For the purpose of today's hearing, to the extent there are any factual inaccuracies in the pre-sentence investigation report regarding the factual background of this case, the court determines that those factual inaccuracies are not relevant to the court sentencing decision and do not affect the court's decision regarding the appropriate sentence one way or the other. Okay. [00:17:53] Speaker ?: Anything further on that? [00:17:54] Speaker 1: No, Your Honor. Okay. Mr. Blood- Mr. Blood- Mr. Blood- how would you like to proceed? Your Honor, the State is prepared to present. Please. Your Honor, the State is prepared to present. [00:18:02] Speaker ?: Please. [00:18:03] Speaker 1: Your Honor, the State is prepared to present. [00:18:05] Speaker 2: Please. [00:18:06] Speaker 1: Your Honor, the State is prepared to present. [00:18:07] Speaker ?: Please. Your Honor, the State is prepared to present. [00:18:21] Speaker 2: Your Honor, on Valentine's Day 2022, Corey Darden Richens tried and failed to murder her husband and the father of her three young children, Eric Richens. Over the next 17 days, she did not think, "What have I done?" Rather, she thought, "How can I do better?" And then she murdered Eric in the presence of their children, using poison and for money. Such a person should never again lurk among the rest of us. Her children should never worry that they may one day encounter her. For these reasons, the reasons set forth in the State's sentencing memorandum, and the boundless reasons the Court has learned from presiding over this case, the pending criminal case, and the multiple associated civil cases. The State requests that the Court impose a sentence of life in prison without parole on count one, five years to life in prison consecutive to any other sentence on count two, one to fifteen years in prison consecutive to any other sentence on counts three and four, and one to five years in prison consecutive to any other sentence on count five. Furthermore, the State requests that the Court ordered the defendant to pay restitution to auto owner's insurance company in the amount of $1,017,018, and true stage insurance company in the amount of $352,562. The State requests that the Court ordered the defendant to pay recoupment to Summit County in the amount of $1,391,943. Corrie Darden Richens earned this sentence. Her children deserve it. Only this Court can order it. The Court's time this morning is best spent carrying from a few of Corrie Darden Richens' victims. Fathers are not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:20:58] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:20:58] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:02] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:05] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:09] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:10] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:20] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:23] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:30] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:31] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:35] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:37] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:41] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:43] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:57] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:21:59] Speaker 2: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:22:01] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:22:18] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:22:30] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:22:32] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:22:59] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:23:00] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:23:53] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:23:54] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:24:17] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:24:19] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:25:48] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:25:49] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:25:54] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:25:55] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:25:59] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:26:00] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:26:22] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:26:23] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. [00:26:56] Speaker ?: They're not meant to bury sons. [00:26:57] Speaker 6: They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. They're not meant to bury sons. Because of the calculated and intentional nature of this crime, I respectfully ask the court to impose a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. This sentence is important to Eric's three sons never have to live with the fear that the person responsible for taking their father could ever harm them again and to ensure she can never harm anyone else ever again. Despite our immense grief, I want to acknowledge and thank those who have worked tirelessly to bring justice for my son. Eric was always grateful for others, showed kindness and dedication, and I know he would want to express sincere appreciation to those who gave their time, effort, and professionalism to seek the truth in this case. We are deeply thankful to the prosecution team. Margaret, Brad, Lindsey, Fred, Joe, Wendy, Patricia, and the entire staff who supported them for their commitment and their perseverance. We also want to recognize and thank Todd for his dedication and relentless efforts in helping us ensure justice has been served. We are also grateful to Grace Fortis for serving as a spokesperson and an advocate for our family throughout this process. We thank the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Lieutenant Hemingway, Detective O'Driscoll, Detective Hopper, Officer Woody, Officer Gibson, and all the law enforcement personnel who worked on this investigation. We thank the bailiffs who ensured the safety and the order of this courtroom. We thank you, Your Honor, for your patience, professionalism, and stewardship of this process. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each juror, including the alternates, for their sacrifice and their time, for seriously taking the responsibility, who carried out to ensure justice was served. Nothing can bring Eric back. Nothing can restore what has been taken from his sons, from our family, and from this community. But accountability matters here. Justice matters. Eric mattered. His life, his love mattered, his example mattered. He will always be remembered as a devoted father, a loving son, a supportive brother, a loyal friend, and a man who made lives of those around him better. We miss him every day and will continue to honor his memory by living with the same kindness and dedication that he showed to everyone fortunate enough to know him. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you. [00:31:01] Speaker ?: Thank you. [00:31:21] Speaker 1: Katie, good morning. [00:31:22] Speaker 3: Good morning. [00:31:27] Speaker 7: So as you know, I'm Katie, and I'm Eric's sister. To begin, there are a multitude of people who deserve credit and appreciation. Law enforcement agencies across the state of Utah, the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, the Medical Examiner's Office, expert witnesses who worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement. Eric's friends, Eric's co-workers, my friends, and my family are an entire team of lawyers and experts in the civil lawsuit. There are far too many people to mention by name, and I suspect if I try to, I will inadvertently leave someone out. But to all of you, please know that this would not be possible without your efforts, your support, and the strength of the community that has stood beside us. Both my family and I are forever grateful to each of you. I am also very grateful to you, Your Honor, to this court for the dignified manner in which it presided over the trial, and to the members of the jury for faithfully performing their civic duties. Today is Eric's birthday. I stand before you because he can't. He was taken away from my dad, my sister, his nieces, his friends, our community, and worst of all, from his three amazing sons. Sorry. He was taken away from us by a person he shouldn't have been able to trust, the person he should have trusted most in the world, his wife. It's impossible to fully describe how devastating Eric's death and Corey's crimes have been to our family. Nearly every aspect of our lives has been permanently changed, and we have no choice but to live with those changes and with Eric's loss forever. Eric was a phenomenal brother, father, son, nephew, grandson, cousin, friend, and businessman. Eric and I were extremely close. We went through school together and navigated life side by side. Wherever Eric went, I was usually tagged along right behind. At school, Eric's nickname was Richie, and mine was Little Richie, a reflection on how inseparable we were. He wasn't just my brother. He was my constant, my protector, and one of my closest friends. Eric was the kind of father who anticipated his children's needs before they ever had to ask. He made sure they were always having fun, taught them how to be respectful and kind, and was constantly planning for their future. His mind and heart was always on his boys, always. Everything he did was for them. Eric was the very best uncle. He made his nieces my daughters. Bill truly special. He always found ways to have fun with them. He doted on them with love and attention. Eric was an incredible son. Always there for my parents. Stepping in without hesitation, and helping in every way he could, without being asked. The background he shared with my mom was truly special. We would often joke that the umbilical cord had never really been cut. But in truth, it spoke to the deep, unbreakable love they have for each other. This is who Eric truly was. A man defined by love, integrity, and unwavering devotion to his family. He is none of the things that Cory tried to portray him as. Those mischaracterizations were nothing more than a vile effort to deflect flame. And those mischaracterizations stand in stark contrast to the reality of the man we all knew and loved. Eric's life and his actions, and the profound impact he had on those around him, speak for themselves. And they tell a story of goodness, strength, and character that cannot be rewritten or diminished. The saddest part for me, in all of this, is that I got something with Eric that his sons never did. Time. I feel cheated that I only got to spend a few decades with my brother. But I should feel lucky in comparison. As Eric's eldest son told me shortly after his dad's death, he and his brothers did not even get 10 years with their dad. It is devastating that Eric is not here to coach them, to work the family ranch with them, to teach them how to drive, to attend their high school graduation, to send them off to college, to see them get married, or to celebrate the birth of his future grandchildren. His three sons are going to grow up and live nearly their entire lives without their dad. They are going to get to know their dad more from the stories we tell about them than their actual experiences. In all likelihood, by the time they are each 44 years old, which is how old Eric would be today, they will have little to no actual memories of Eric. And they have to go through life without their dad, because their mother planned and carried out his murder. She could not have done anything more selfish or more cruel to those boys. In the place of a stable, secure, and loving home, Corey gave the boys permanent trauma. They were in the house the night she killed their father. They were awake. They knew that something terrible had happened to their dad. As we heard on the 911 call during trial, one of them even walked into Eric's bedroom, Eric's body lay dead, poisoned by someone who his son should have been able to unconditionally trust, love, and depend on. No child should have to bear that trauma. But Eric's three innocent sons will bear that burden, and they will bear it for the rest of their lives. Corey's selfishness and cruelty did not end with Eric's murder. In the time after Eric's death, Corey has done nothing but isolate, manipulate, deceive, and do harm to those boys. Almost immediately after Eric died, she cut them off completely from Eric's family. The isolation was calculated and strategic. Corey used the boys' bargaining chips with my dad. She repeatedly threatened not to let him see his grandsons unless he could convince me as Eric's trustee of his trust to capitulate to her legal demands and give her all the trust assets. While isolating the boys, Corey provided them with false and harmful information about me and my family. When the PCFS took custody of the boys following Corey's arrest and asked where they would like to go, they expressed fear of my family. The fear was not based on reality, but on what they had been told. For over a year, Corey led them to believe that I was attempting to take Eric's money for myself and that I intended for them to be left without support, that they would be homeless and starving. These statements were entirely false and had no basis in reality. Had they not been subjected to that influence, they would have known the truth. Prior to Eric's death, our families were very close. My daughters and his sons had strong friendships, and I had a meaningful individual relationship with each of my nephews. I spent time riding horses with one, helping another identify summer coding programs, and the youngest participated in ice skating lessons with my daughters. Our families shared holidays, worked together on our family ranch, took trips together, and I was present the day each of the boys were born in the hospital. The boys have expressed their confusion about these circumstances. They have stated that prior to their father's passing, both Eric and Corey frequently told them if anything were to happen, they should go with me, that I would care for them and support them. Following Eric's death, however, those messages changed. After Eric passed away, Corey prevented all contact between our family and the boys. The boys continued to continue to continue to provide them false information about us. When we were finally able to see the boys again, approximately 15 months after Eric's death, the boys hardly recognized the relationship we had. Instead, they viewed my family and me with fear and hesitation, as though we were strangers. Corey also went to great lengths to jeopardize the boys' financial futures. I know you are very aware of this. Among other things, she drained the personal bank accounts that Eric had set up for his boys' college funds. She allowed the boys' social security survivor benefits to be funneled to individuals who were not taking care of the boys. And she sued me in my role as Eric's trustee and personal representative, not once, not twice, but three separate times. The goal of her lawsuits is singular. She wants all of Eric's assets for herself. Despite her lies and fanciful public portrayal, she knows that none of Eric's assets are going to me, my dad, or my sister. In fact, she knows exactly where Eric wanted everything to go, and that is to his boys. And yet, for four years, she has aggressively tried to take their inheritance from them. Even now, despite her erroneous debt, a murder conviction, and a string of pending felony financial charges, Corey's civil lawsuits live on. Those lawsuits have been emotionally grueling, all-consuming, and unimaginably expensive. And tragically, every dollar on those suits is a dollar that Eric's boys will not get. Of course, Corey can't have other people or the public thinking that she's trying to take away her children's inheritance. So for the past four years, both in court and in the media, she has demonized and vilified me. She has hurled wild accusations in my direction, including that I hacked her bank accounts, forged her bank statements, paid off witnesses, unduly pressured law enforcement into investigating her, and quietly pulled the Summit County prosecutor's strings. It is despicable that for doing nothing more than trying to honor Eric's wishes, Corey has cast me as the evil doer here. Just as bad, honoring Eric's wishes has landed my sister, myself, and unbelievably, my two daughters in Corey's crosshairs. One of Eric's sons recently told me that Corey used to say, "I will get them one day." Apparently, she was talking about me, my sister, and my daughters. Her infamous "walk the dog" letter, the part the jury did not hear, confirms her desire to harm me. In it, she talks at length about her plans to get at Amy and me, including by targeting my daughters. Both of whom are under the age of 10. It takes a sick mind to target children. The mere thought that someone who has so little regard for human life or decency might one day walk free is horrifying. I worry about the safety of Eric's boys, my daughters, my sister, and myself. There is nothing Corey will not do, and no one she will not hurt, to achieve her own selfish ends. I am not the only one that is afraid. There are three little boys who, instead of fearing those who love and adore them, as Corey would prefer, I worry constantly, constantly, that Corey might show up one day and take them away. Eric's sons deserve so much better. They are not bargaining chips. They are not cash cows. They are not props for some twisted children's book about grief and loss. And yet that is what they have been reduced to by Corey. To my unending sadness and horror, Eric himself understood all too well the danger she posed to his children and to his family. When Eric told me he had changed his estate planning and appointed me as his trustee and personal representative, I begged him to end the marriage and go his separate way. By that point he had already consulted with a divorce attorney and was deeply afraid that he might not be awarded sole custody of his children. He made the heartbreaking decision to stay because he could not accept the risk of what might happen to his sons if Corey had equal custody. He told me he would live his life through hell every single day of his life until his youngest was 18 because he believed Corey was the most evil person he had ever met. He knew that his sons did not like her. As much as much many times, he knew that they would prefer to be far away from her. But he also knew that divorce carried significant risks. And he said he could never allow his children to spend half of their time alone with her. Because he was certain they would be exposed to harm and things no child should ever experience. He made it clear that in his mind, if Corey were given equal custody, his children would be in the care of someone he believed to be deeply dangerous. He feared the people they could be exposed to and the damage that could be done. At the same time, he spoke with deep love and admiration for his boys. He told me that they were the most amazing boys in the world and that none of this was their choice and none of it was their fault and that he would do everything in his power to protect them for as long as he possibly could. Corey loves to go on and on about how this case is a media sensation. [00:46:30] Speaker ?: She's right. [00:46:31] Speaker 7: News outlets from here to Europe have covered it. There have been countless newspaper articles, podcasts and TV specials about it. Every hearing is live streamed on numerous YouTube channels. There have been a lot of these newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of these newspapers in the United States in the United States. There have been a lot of these newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of these newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of these newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. There have been a lot of newspapers in the United States. It is famous for how appalling and sickening it is. It is famous because a mother meticulously planned to kill her husband, killed him while their children were sleeping in the next room, and then had the audacity to hold herself out as the author of a children's book about grief and loss. It is famous because she spent time Googling luxury prisons for the rich in America. It is famous because from her jail cell, she scripted a bunch of phony testimony so that her brother could perpetrate a fraud on the court. It is famous because she victimized her own children and threatened to victimize Eric's nieces. The fame and attention are directly proportional to the evil that has gone on here. This is not a situation where the idea of rehabilitation should be entertained. In taking Eric's life for her own selfish gain, Corey did not only harm Eric. She permanently harmed three kids who were under the age of 10. She took away a dad, a son, a brother, an uncle, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, and a friend. Eric's death has caused immeasurable pain to so many. Obviously, there is nothing the court can do about that. And you cannot bring him back, but what you can do is give Corey's victims at least some measure of closure. To that end, I ask that the court impose a sentence that ensures Corey never has the opportunity to harm Eric's children or our family again. Please do not let my brother's life be worth nothing more than a 25-year punishment. Please do not leave those boys to wonder whether Corey might track them or their children down in the future. Please do not create a possibility for Corey to endanger Eric's boys, my daughters, my family, or anyone else ever again. Please sentence Corey to a life in prison without the possibility of parole. Thank you. Thank you. [00:49:12] Speaker ?: Thank you, Katie. [00:49:12] Speaker 7: Thank you. [00:49:13] Speaker ?: Thank you, Katie. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Katie. Thank you. Good morning, Clint. [00:49:28] Speaker 8: Good morning, Clint. Hello, Your Honor. My name is Clint Benson. I am Katie's husband and Eric's brother-in-law. Eric was an innocent man, a devoted father, and someone whose life revolved around his children and his family. Because of Corey's choices, he never had the opportunity to say goodbye to his children, to reassure them, to share the final moments every family deserves. That loss cannot be measured. His children will spend the rest of their lives carrying the pain of a father taken from them far too soon. What makes this tragedy even more painful is the calculated nature of the crime. This was not a momentary mistake, a lapse in judgment, or a crime with passion. It involved planning, preparation, testing, and deliberate action. Eric's death was carried out in a way that caused fear, suffering, and helplessness. Corey either watched or sat by as Eric succumbed to fentanyl poisoning instead of providing any kind of aid to him. She was fantasizing about a dream life funded by Eric's death. Eric was killed in his home by a traitor sleeping next to him in one of the most cowardly acts imaginable. We are profoundly grateful to every investigator, prosecutor, detective, law enforcement officer, juror, judge, forensic expert, and public servant who worked tirelessly and honestly to uncover the truth. Their dedication ensured that Eric's voice was not lost and that justice could still prevail. We are equally grateful for the incredible community surrounding us. This community has shown unwavering support and has been there for Eric's voice without judgment and through some of the most difficult times in Nashville. The boys are succeeding and thriving because of the people around them who continue to provide support and look out for their safety. Going through every aspect of this murder easily led to a dark place while fighting against an individual focused on only chaos and vengeance. However, the people surrounding us, including the sheriffs, officers, principals, teachers, school staff, coaches, counselors, neighbors, and church members created an unbreakable force for what is good, just, and right. No sentence can bring Eric back. No outcome will erase the suffering caused by these actions. But accountability matters, truth matters, and justice matters. Corey continues to shirk responsibility for her actions, for the pain she has caused, and for the resources she has squandered, both Eric's and the state's. Even after everything that has been revealed, Corey has demonstrated zero genuine accountability or remorse for the devastation she has left behind. Instead, she has repeatedly attempted to distort the truth, create false narratives, and portray herself as the victim. She has been lawsuit after lawsuit, motion after motion, delay after delay, all in an effort to blame, to shift blame away from the person responsible. The evidence, the truth, and the outcome of this case all tell a very different story. What is especially concerning is the continued hostility from Corey and her family, as well as their desire for vengeance directed towards our family, a family already devastated by an unimaginable loss. Statements they have made about going to war and getting the riches demonstrate an ongoing mindset rooted in blame, anger, and retaliation, rather than remorse or acceptance of responsibility. Corey will continue to try to convince the public that she was a good mother, through media outlets that choose not to research or report on the countless motions and facts presented in this case, or other cases, but instead simply regurgitate the false narratives of a sick and evil person. Corey and her family continue to plan media campaigns focused on lies, targeting anyone foolish enough to spend time listening to them. Corey is not before this court because she was mistreated, because she is a victim, or because the Richens family manufactured a false narrative that she and the Darden family would like to portray. She is before this court because of the choices she has made, choices that resulted in Eric's death and permanent trauma to anyone who has loved him. Corey chose pride, seeking to project an image of success. Corey chose adultery and lust, prioritizing her secret lover over her husband and her children. Corey chose fraud and greed, hoping to profit from Eric's death. Corey chose murder, and she continues to choose vengeance against the victims of her actions. The time for Corey to make choices is at an end. Now it is time for her victims to choose. Please let Eric's children have a chance to choose lifelong peace, comfort, security, success, and happiness. I asked this court to impose a sentence of life without parole, a sentence that truly reflects the gravity of this crime, the irreversible harm caused to our family, and the calculated choices that led to Eric's death. Thank you, sir. [00:54:53] Speaker ?: Amy, good morning. Good morning. Honorable Judge Morasset. My name is Amy Richens. I am Eric Richens' sister. Today, I am going to work with you. I am going to work with you today. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Amy, good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Honorable Judge Morasset. My name is Amy Richens. I am Eric Richens' sister. [00:55:03] Speaker 9: Today, I am here to speak as a victim and to speak for Eric because he no longer has a voice. I addressed this court in 2023. When we were left in the court, we were left in the court. We were right in the court. [00:55:21] Speaker 10: We were right in the court. [00:55:22] Speaker 9: We were right in the court. [00:55:23] Speaker 10: We were right in the court. We were right in the court. We were right in the court. We were right in the court. We were right in the court. We were right in the court. We were right in the court. And we were right in the court. When we were living in a state of visceral shock. Now three years later, we are here at sentencing on a date that carries a weight I can barely describe. Today is Eric's 44th birthday. Birthdays are supposed to be proof of life. A day to celebrate another year of growth. Instead, today is a cruel reminder of another year Eric will never see. And a reminder of the fatherhood that was stolen from his three sons. Before I talk about what this crime has done, I need you to know who Eric was. Not as a headline, but as a person. Over the course of this trial, so many people described Eric in strikingly similar ways. They called him outgoing, confident, funny, competitive, dependable, driven, and fiercely loyal. He was a leader, a hard worker, a rancher, a businessman, a coach, a best friend, a brother, a son. But more than anything, people described him as a phenomenal father. Eric had three sons and he coached many of their sports teams. He was the kind of dad who showed up, not just for his own children, but for everyone around them. Sometimes they think about all the children who lost him too. The kids he coached, mentored, and believed in. I cannot imagine the confusion and heartbreak they felt when someone who had become such a steady and trusted part of their lives was suddenly gone. Eric was a real person, a deeply loved person, and the loss of him echoes through every life he touched. On my 16th birthday, I was sitting in my 10th grade English class when I got a text from Eric that said, "Come outside." I walked out and there was Eric, standing with flowers and that mischievous grin we all knew. I asked what he was doing there and he just said, "Let's go. We've got to get a little mud on your tires." I had just bought my first truck, a used Ford F-150. Eric took me up into the mountains and we took that truck off-roading for the first time. It was exhilarating and terrifying. But I felt safe because he was there. That was Eric. He made life bigger. He made people feel brave. [00:58:07] Speaker 11: And he protected the people he loved. That is the brother I lost. And that is the father his boys lost. In 2023, I told this court that I was tormented by the sequence of events of that night. [00:58:24] Speaker 10: Today that torment has not faded. I still wonder when Eric realized he was in mortal danger. I wonder what Cory said to him in his last moments. I am still haunted by the question, did his boys hear their father's final struggle? If Eric had died of an illness, we would have cared for him. If it were an accident, there would have been kindness. But there is no comfort here. In his last moments, after being intentionally poisoned, my brother was faced with the ultimate betrayal. Eric's sons were 9, 7, and 5 when their world was shattered. They are now 13, 11, and 9. These are the years when a boy learns how to be a man by watching his father. What makes this crime uniquely heinous is that their grief will never pass. It will reinvent itself at every milestone. This crime didn't just happen once. It happens every single morning when those boys wake up and realize their father is still gone. They did not just lose their father. They lost the life they knew. Eric's death didn't end the harm. It began a grinding process of re-traumatization. Early in this process, I remember being told this case would be a marathon, not a sprint. We did not understand how every hearing, filing, delay, and public narrative would reopen wounds all over again. As if losing Eric was not painful enough, our family was then forced to grieve under public scrutiny. After the publication of the grief book, our family became the subject of public narratives, attacks, and speculation. At one point, I received a message sent from a burner phone that said, "You think you're funny? Cory will get the last laugh. Your jealousy is as disgusting as your family." Law enforcement later confirmed, through warrants, that the message came from Cory. That moment stayed with me because it captured what these years have felt like. Not just grief, but intimidation and distortion. Yes, our family hired a private investigator. But when someone you love dies suddenly, and deep in your gut, you believe something is terribly wrong, you do not stop searching for answers. The real question is not why would you investigate? The real question is, what wouldn't you do? What wouldn't you do for your brother? [01:01:15] Speaker ?: For the truth? [01:01:16] Speaker 10: I also feel compelled to address the emotional toll of the trial itself. As the designated victim representative, and more importantly as Eric's sister, I have a right to be present in the courtroom. Yet during the proceedings, I was essentially kept in the dark. Due to the courtroom layout, I could not see the exhibits or the evidence. When we requested simple accommodation, we were told that the trial was being broadcast on court TV, and I could excuse myself, and watch from home with the rest of the world. Being told that my right to be here was interchangeable with a television broadcast was a profound violation. I did not want to watch Eric's life and death as content from my couch. I didn't want to go home after a grueling day and listen and watch it all over again. I had a right to be here, to face the evidence directly. Still, to this day, I have not been able to rewatch the trial because it's so time consuming and painful to relive. I still have not seen all the evidence that was presented. Your Honor, I need to say this clearly. Someday, those boys will grow up and look back at the records of this trial. I need the truth to be the only thing they find. The claims made against Eric's character were not just legal defenses. They were acts of secondary violence. Eric was a protector, not a predator. These lies were a desperate attempt to justify the unjustifiable, and they have added a layer of cruelty to our grief that is nearly impossible to bear. I also need to correct the record on a few misrepresentations. First, the prenup. It was provided well before the wedding, not in a last-minute way. Second, the incident between Corrie and me. I never touched her. Corrie pled guilty to assaulting me. Yet she and her circle have continued to spread false narratives. This is a pattern of distortion that has kept our family trapped in conflict. There is something that has haunted me for years. And I found out, Caleb was the exact same today. I begged Eric to leave too. [01:03:53] Speaker 11: I begged him to divorce her. But Eric was trying to protect his boys. People often struggle to recognize intimate partner violence when the victim is a man. But Eric's actions spoke for themselves. [01:04:12] Speaker 10: He documented conversations. He tried to protect himself. He knew after Valentine's Day that she had tried to poison him. But he also believed that if he left, he could not fully protect his children. So he stayed because he was trying to keep them safe. [01:04:29] Speaker 11: This trauma has seeped into every quarter of my life. And also, it has also deeply affected my own family and marriage. My husband, William, watched me be consumed by the pursuit of justice. For four years, we have lived in a constant state of stress, grief, and emotional exhaustion. I lost my job as a professor at Montana Tech University on the very day I was subpoenaed to appear in this court. Eric was so proud of me earning my PhD. And teaching students was something I loved that made me proud. It now seems like another thing that Corey's actions have taken away from me. But the most devastating loss is one that isn't in any police report. Because of the unrelenting stress of this investigation and the constant attacks on our family, I suffered a traumatic miscarriage of twins. We lost our children. We lost the future we were building. Corey's actions didn't just end one life. They reached out and stifled the lives of my unborn children as well. That loss lives inside this tragedy too. Eric's murder did not just take someone from my life. It plunged me into a darkness. [01:06:08] Speaker 10: It stole the light I once carried. It erased the future I had planned. Every day I wake up and step into this thing crushing emptiness. [01:06:17] Speaker 11: Where time itself feels frozen and meaningless. The laughter of my future children. The warmth of my family. The simple joy of waking to a new morning. All of it has been devoured by this crime. This grief is limitless. Resembling the ocean. Sometimes it softly touches the shore. Other times it pounds against it with fierce force. Occasionally it surges like a massive tsunami. Overwhelming everything. [01:06:48] Speaker 10: These changes can occur suddenly and like the ocean. [01:06:51] Speaker 11: It cannot be controlled. [01:06:53] Speaker 10: I didn't just lose my brother. [01:06:56] Speaker 11: I lost my sister-in-law. I lost someone I considered my friend. We had good times together. That loss is so complicated now, your honor. Because it forces you to grief someone who is still alive. While facing the horror of what they have done. It is grief that doesn't resolve. It just sits there heavy every day. This crime has fractured our family in ways outsiders cannot understand. One of the most painful realities is that my husband and I do not get to see our nephews. This tragedy has created a wall of trauma between us. And that feels impossible to climb. Because of this crime, we are no longer present in those boys' lives the way Eric would have wanted. In 2023, I told this court I never knew evil like this existed. Everything I have witnessed since has confirmed that. Court did not just kill Eric. [01:08:03] Speaker 10: She attempted to kill the spirit of everyone who loved him. She lied to his children. She lied to his children. She lied to the world. And has shown no remorse while dancing on his grave for profit. Your honor, a parole eligible sentence is not a conclusion. It is a reoccurring nightmare. It guarantees that every few years, Eric's sons will be notified that their father's murderer is seeking freedom. It forces them to relive the trauma repeatedly for decades. Eric died trying to be his children's shield. [01:08:42] Speaker 11: He can no longer protect them, so now the responsibility falls to this court. I ask you to provide these boys with the finality and safety they deserve. [01:08:53] Speaker 10: I ask you to ensure that the noise of Corey Richens never enters their lives again. For the years of suffering we have endured. For the children who will grow up without their father. And for the life she stole from Eric and the peace she stole from us. I respectfully ask that you sentence Corey Richens to life without the possibility of parole. Happy birthday, Rico. Thank you. Thank you. [01:09:19] Speaker ?: Thank you. [01:09:31] Speaker 1: Are you Jessica? Good morning. [01:09:34] Speaker 9: Good morning, Judge. My name is Jessica Black. I'm a licensed clinical mental health therapist and a registered therapist. Myself and my colleagues are here today to read the victim impact statements for three children. We are here as advocates on their behalf. After a developmentally appropriate process, the boys were able to decide individually how they wanted to share their statements. And this is what they chose. Our roles are to read their words exactly as they wrote. The boys want the court and the world to hear their side. This is from W.R. I woke up to sirens and there were a lot of people at my house and I was definitely scared. I felt confused. I was in a bedroom with my brothers and I didn't know what was happening. At first I was really scared because I didn't know what was happening and I had no control and I felt helpless. I felt really overwhelmed. After my dad died, Corey would put us in the basement while she was with the neighbor. I felt scared because I thought something really bad was happening again. She would take me to places that smelled really bad. Everything she did made me feel uncomfortable. When someone talks about Corey, it makes me feel hateful and ashamed. She took away my dad. It's made me have a hard time trusting people. I was scared that Corey's family would come to my school and take me. I had to go to counseling with DCFS in Heber and I did not like it. DCFS made me talk to Corey and I couldn't do things that I wanted to do. I felt not important to anyone. I feel a lot better about myself now than I did with Corey. I can't ever see my dad again. I want her to go to prison forever. If she got out, I would be so scared, really mad, and I wouldn't want to go with her anywhere. I'm worried that she would take me away from Katie and Clint. Once she is gone, I will feel happy and I will feel safer and relaxed and trust people more. [01:11:47] Speaker ?: I will feel better. Thank you. [01:11:49] Speaker 1: Thank you. Christina. [01:11:59] Speaker 12: Your Honor. I am Christina Green. I am a licensed clinical social worker. I have registered play therapist and I will be reading for AR. You took away my dad for no reason other than greed. And you only cared about yourself and your stupid boyfriends. You were not caring and watching over me and my brothers. I had to be a parent to W. C and I would walk him to the bus stop, feed him and watch him. You were not concerned about our health. When we got hurt, you didn't even care. When C got ran over by a side-by-side, you still made him go to the soccer game that day without taking him to the doctor's first. You would lock C in his room and I would have to go to the kitchen and bring him food. You shamed us when we didn't want to eat uncooked lasagna you made. We threw it away because we couldn't eat it. Then you made us watch videos of children starving in war areas. You wanted to scare us into eating something that wasn't cooked. You wouldn't let our dog outside and then the dog would pee inside. You created this problem, then you would smack my dog on the head as hard as you could. You wouldn't let me put my kitten in the garage for safety at night and we found it eaten by raccoons the next day. You wouldn't let us turn on and use the heater lamp for the chickens and bunnies and they froze to death. You would always argue with my dad and lock the door. You were not playing the role as a real mother does, you were doing the opposite. Now my dad can't be my coach anymore, can't be at any of my games, he won't be at my birthdays, he can't teach me how to drive, he won't be at my graduation and he can't take me camping or fishing. You made me paranoid about sitting on my dad's side of the bed by saying I might die or get harmed when I was just trying to be close to my dad after you killed him. You took away everything from me and my brothers. I don't want you out of jail because I will not feel safe if you are out. You have never said sorry for anything that you have done to me and my brothers. I don't want you to hurt anyone again. I know that you will need to stay in jail to fully take accountability for what you did to me, C, W and my dad. With you in jail, I will be able to continue to feel safe and live a happy and successful life without fear of you hurting me or anyone I love. Thank you, Your Honor. [01:14:48] Speaker ?: I'm 5-0-0-1-3-9. Mr. Bloodworth, just to confirm, anything further from the state? No, you're not. Okay. [01:14:57] Speaker 1: Ms. Lewis, Ms. Nestor, please tell me what's contemplating. [01:15:01] Speaker 4: Your Honor, I have some opening remarks. Then we have some letters that some of which we've been asked to read, others are here to read themselves. Due to the excessive publicity, several of the people have asked that only you and the prosecutor know their names and that we not say their names. So I'm going to provide you with each letter as we go that has their actual names on it. All of them are willing to confirm with you privately that they've written these letters as officers of the court. We assure you they have, but they did not want to appear on camera. And then after we do a set of the letters, Mr. Ramos has some very brief remarks and then we're going to call, we're going to put on three more. Then Ms. Lewis will close out remarks and then Ms. Richens will do her allocution at the very end. [01:15:55] Speaker 1: Understood. If that's sufficient. [01:15:57] Speaker 4: Please. May I please the court. Excuse me. We began this journey when Corey Richens stood before this court, stood before your Honor and entered a plea of not guilty. And now after being convicted by a jury, she stands before you again. And on this day she will tell you again that she did not do what she has been convicted of doing. And that is her right under the law. And we, her advocates, we are tasked with a sacred duty. A duty to protect and preserve her constitutional rights at all costs. In the face of criticism, scorn, and ridicule from the public, the media, and anybody else connected with this case. We have been committed to our duty throughout this trial. And we remain so today. It is our privilege and honor to stand beside Corey. We believe in her innocence completely. And we will continue to stand by her as she takes her appeal to the next level. To a higher court. But that battle remains for another day. Today, she stands before you. Convicted by a jury of five felony counts. We recognize and honor that this court is also tasked with a sacred duty. A duty under the constitution and laws of our state to decide the appropriate sentence in light of Ms. Richmond's convictions. The enormity of that responsibility cannot be denied. Everything we will present to your honor today is submitted for your consideration with an abiding faith in the court's commitment to its sacred duty. And in the prayerful hope that mercy will prevail of our calls for retribution. As the state has conceded in their briefing, in order to decide an appropriate sentence, it is right and just for this court to look not only at the conduct for which Corey Richards has been convicted, but also at her entire life. The good things she has done, making her worthy of the mercy of this court. Things such as the personal traits and characteristics that suggest she is not the monster that the prosecution portrays. It is not a human being, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a person that has made mistakes, but a person who is loved deeply. A person who has completed acts of kindness and love and care toward others. A person who has contributed to her community. A person who, even in the darkest time of her life, reached out to help others who were incarcerated alongside her. A person who unselfishly tried to ease the pain her family and friends experienced as a result of this case. Now we have asked people who know Corey the best to show you the person they know and love. You will hear from family and friends who saw her the most. You will hear from people who worked with her. You will hear from people who spent time with her since she's been incarcerated and have seen how committed she is to rehabilitation while she's in jail. Even more telling, you will hear how she's helped others even when facing unbearable situations in her own life. All of these individuals will reassure this court that she can be productive and make positive contributions in a carceral setting. You've heard from the state their cry for the harshest punishments available under our laws. Yet you also presided over this trial. You saw the evidence and the absence of facts that would justify such penalties. I am sure this court is aware of what a sentence of life without parole actually means in a prison setting. These individuals are locked down in their cells 23 hours a day. They are not provided with the opportunity to participate in programming, seek education, work at jobs in the prison. For all intents and purposes, they are treated as death row inmates. They are denied in-person visitation. They are stripped of any sense of community or humanity. They have no hope of any future reunification with the people they love. Out of the thousands and thousands of cases that go through our criminal justice system, less than 100 individuals have been determined to be worthy of a sentence of life without parole. And that is because judges throughout this state understand that such a sentence presumes that an individual is wholly incapable of redemption or rehabilitation and should be punished in the worst way imaginable until they die alone in a cage. And Ms. Lewis will talk more about that later. But in the meantime, you are also going to hear from three people who have never met Corey Richens. They know nothing about her case, but they know about what life without parole means. You are going to hear from a mother whose son was murdered and how many years ago she was in the position that the Richens family is in now. You will hear about her journey to forgiveness and how after many years she came to regret seeking the penalty of life without parole for her son's killer. You will hear from a woman who understands how Corey's boys feel. Her father killed her mother and was sentenced to prison. You will hear how she learned to forgive her father and how she's enriched her life through finding her way into relationship with him again. And you will hear from a former prosecutor, someone who sat right where Mr. Bloodworth sits now, and how he personally witnessed the rehabilitation and tragic end of an individual he put behind bars for life. All of these perspectives are important because they remind us and the court that the recognition of the precious gift of life takes many forms and can change over time. They remind us that the decisions made by this court today can reflect our own humanity and inspire us all to have hope and believe in forgiveness. Finally, Your Honor, you are going to hear from Ms. Richens herself. Her allocution is unusually long. She has worked very hard on it. We ask the court to allow her to take about 30 minutes or so to read her words aloud. She is going to share with you what matters most to her in this world. Her love for her boys. It is all she has left. Everything else she has ever held dear in her life has been stripped from her. It is her hope that in openly and honestly sharing her love and hopes and dreams for her boys with you, that you will see what it is inside of her that is worth saving, that is worthy of mercy, and that is filled with hope, humanity, and love. So with the court's indulgence, we'd like to read aloud some letters that have been provided to us. As I discussed, some have asked us to read it and only share the names with you in the prosecution. Some are here to read them themselves, and we are grateful to the court's indulgence to listen. And we are going to start with a letter from Corey's mother, and Ms. Lewis is going to read that letter. And I have a copy of it that I am going to provide so the court can read along if you like. And I also have copies for the prosecution as we go. [01:24:07] Speaker 1: And we will add this to the information that is part of the record. Thank you, Madam. [01:24:11] Speaker 4: Not public. [01:24:12] Speaker 1: Understood. Yes. [01:24:14] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you, Madam. Good morning, Madam. [01:24:17] Speaker 1: Good morning, Your Honor. [01:24:18] Speaker 3: Um, Corey's mother, Lisa Darden, is here in the courtroom. Um, she's actually, I feel given me the privilege to read her words. She was concerned about her ability to read the course. Your Honor, Corey is my daughter. I write to you today, carrying a brief, that words struggle to hold. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the loss of Eric. He was my son-in-law, my friend, and a truly wonderful father. Eric had a kind heart and a generous spirit. He was deeply loved, and he will never be forgotten by me or by the many people whose lives he touched. Eric once saved my life, and I have carried that gratitude with me every day since. His legacy lives on most clearly through the three beautiful boys he left behind. Your Honor, I speak today as a mother and as a grandmother. The children are my greatest concerns. These three boys have endured unimaginable loss and upheaval in their young lives. They lost their father, then their mother, then the sense of safety and continuity every child deserves. Their world has changed again and again through no choice of their own. Whatever sentence is imposed will shape their lives forever. Whatever sentence is imposed, that was their choice. I will continue to watch the boys grow, whether at school, school events, or sporting activities, and throughout their lives. I will keep them in my prayers, hoping they grow into emotionally stable and resilient young men. Corey is more than the worst day of her life. She is a mother who has devoted herself to her children since the day they were born. Before all of this, she was deeply involved in their schooling, their sports, their faith, and their community. She coached teams, volunteered weekly at school, led youth programs, and taught her boys compassion through service. From food banks to flood relief, to helping firefighters and families in need. Her life centered on her family and on helping others. In many ways, everyone impacted by this case has suffered loss. However, the greatest burden has fallen on three innocent children. These boys have experienced repeated disruption and trauma at an age when stability is essential. Before these events, they lived in a loving home with two devoted parents. They were surrounded by family, supported emotionally and financially, and deeply connected to both their mother and father. Their lives revolved around school, sports, family traditions, and feeling safe and loved. That sense of security was taken from them in stages. First, they lost their father suddenly and without preparation. They were informed by officials, rather than being guided gently by a parent, a moment that forever changed their childhood. Their mother then spent more than a year helping them navigate grief, modeling compassion and emotional resilience, and working closely with them to understand loss in age-appropriate ways. She even found creative ways to help them cope emotionally during this painful period. Then, they lost daily access to their mother. Once again, they were told life-altering news by strangers rather than family. The boys were moved between placements, disrupting routines and emotional progress, despite beginning to feel settled and unsupported. Throughout this time, they maintained a meaningful and positive relationship with their mother through letters, phone calls, visits, and counseling. Later, they were moved again, against their expressed wishes, away from family caregivers and trusted relationships. Each transition compounded their confusion, anxiety, and grief. Children need continuity to heal, yet these boys have experienced repeated separations from the people they rely on most. As a grandmother who helped raise these children, I have also lost daily contact with them. They were a central part of my life, just as I was part of theirs. The separation from their maternal family has been devastating, not only to me, but to the boys themselves, who deserve access to all safe and loving family connections. Your Honor, these children have already endured more than most adults will in a lifetime. Being placed in the middle of adult proceedings and repeatedly confronted with painful realities risks further emotional harm. They love their mother. They need reassurance, not fear. Healing, not more loss. I ask the court to carefully consider the cumulative impact on these children and the importance of preserving their emotional well-being and future stability when determining your appropriate sentence. Your Honor, I ask the court to take a moment to consider Corrie Richens as a whole person, beyond headlines or assumptions, and to understand the life she built before this case. Corrie has been driven, disciplined, and committed to growth from a young age. She graduated from high school in 2007, completing her studies a year early. She continued her education and earned her associate's degree in 2010. In 2012, she obtained her bachelor's degree, the same year she became a mother for the first time. In 2013, Corrie married Eric, and together they began building a family. Their second son was born in 2014. Corrie continued pursuing education while raising her children, earning her master's degree in 2017, followed by the birth of their third son shortly thereafter. Professionally, Corrie has consistently worked to better herself and provide for her family. She obtained her real estate license in 2019 and later earned her general contractor's license in 2021. Achievements that reflected her work ethic, independence, and determination. In 2022, Corrie experienced a devastating loss with the sudden death of her husband. Despite profound grief, she sought constructive ways to cope and help others, publishing a children's book in 2023 focused on helping children process loss. After her arrest in 2023, Corrie did not retreat from self-improvement. While incarcerated, she earned her paralegal certificate in 2025. In 2026, she completed her MBA, pursuing education under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. She continues to seek opportunities for further education, demonstrating perseverance and a commitment to growth. Your Honor, this timeline reflects a pattern of responsibility, resilience, and continued effort to better herself, even in the most challenging moments of her life. I would like to illustrate Corrie's character through her actions and the way she lived her life, particularly as a wife, mother, and member of her community. Corrie was deeply devoted to her family. She was a committed wife to Eric and a hands-on present mother to their three sons. Their marriage was built on partnership and mutual support. Corrie consistently supported Eric in his career, hobbies, and interests, including his involvement in sports and coaching. She encouraged his passions and stood by him throughout their life together. In return, Eric expressed his commitment to caring for his wife and children, and their shared priorities for a parent in the way they lived and parented. As parents, Corrie and Eric focused on raising kind, engaged, and active children. Corrie was closely involved in her son's education, sports, and activities. She volunteered weekly at their school, coached youth soccer and basketball, served as a scout leader, and was present at practices, games, and events. Her time, energy, and focus were always directed toward her children's well-being and development. Beyond her immediate family, Corrie consistently showed compassion for others. She was active in community service and believed strongly in teaching her children empathy through example. Together, they volunteered at food banks, participated in flood relief by filling sandbags for elderly residents, baked cookies for firefighters during fire season, and assembled care packages for families and individuals in need. She also helped ensure that children in the community had proper winter clothes by donating nearly 100 pairs of snow boots to a local elementary school. During the holidays, Corrie made extraordinary efforts to help others, purchasing, wrapping, and delivering hundreds of gifts to families who were struggling. She also demonstrated thoughtfulness in her extended work family by assembling personalized gift boxes and organizing holiday gatherings to bring people together. In 2023, following her husband's death, Corrie published a children's book designed to help grieving children process loss. She donated hundreds of copies to children who had lost a parent and visited schools to read to students dealing with grief. Although the book achieved some commercial success, her intention was not profit. It was to help children feel less alone during one of the most difficult experiences a child can face. Corrie has always viewed her greatest accomplishment as her family, her husband, her children, and the home they built together. Her loyalty to her family is unwavering. As an aunt, she has been a consistent and loving presence in her nieces and nephews' lives, providing childcare support, attending milestones and school events, and assisting her siblings whenever they needed her. She has been the person who organizes family gatherings, holidays, and shared traditions, keeping the family connected. Faith has also played an important role in Corrie's life. She and her children regularly attended church and participated in faith-based community activities, reinforcing values of service, compassion, and responsibility. Your Honor, these are not isolated gestures. They reflect a long-standing pattern of generosity, responsibility, and care for others. Corrie's life before this case was defined by service to her family and community, and by her commitment to raising her children to be compassionate and engaged members of society. From a young age, Corrie demonstrated responsibility and a strong work ethic. While still in high school, she worked nights, weekends, and holidays to help support her aunt's business, using her earnings to pay her own way through college. That sense of responsibility never diminished. She continued to support extended family members whenever they needed help. Only three weeks after losing her husband, Corrie faced another profound loss with the death of her uncle. Even while grieving deeply herself, she stepped forward to help her aunt by taking on the responsibility of planning the funeral. This pattern, putting others' needs ahead of her own pain, has been consistent throughout her life. Corrie has always believed that no one should have to navigate grief or hardship alone. Corrie and I share an exceptionally close relationship as mother and daughter. She has stood beside me during some of the most difficult moments of my life, including surgeries and radiation treatments, providing care, support, and comfort without hesitation. Our relationship is built on mutual reliance, trust, and love. I, in turn, have played an active role in her family's life, helping care for Eric, the boys, and Corrie, and being deeply involved in their daily lives. Corrie also shares a strong bond with her brother. Though close in age, and like many siblings growing up, it was the loss of their father shortly after high school that solidified their understanding of the importance of family. Since then, their relationship has only grown stronger. They have supported each other through life's milestones, challenges, and joys. As a mother, Corrie has always made sure her children felt surrounded by family. She intentionally included her brother in holidays, family gatherings, and everyday moments, reinforcing the value of connection and belonging. She welcomed her brother's wife into the family from the very beginning, making a deliberate effort to ensure she felt included and supportive. She has constantly offered help with family milestones, celebrations, and responsibilities, always striving to ease stress for others. Corrie takes pride in maintaining a close-knit family. She believes this shared time, whether during holidays, sporting events, small gatherings, or simply simple evenings together is essential. Creating those moments of connection has always mattered deeply to her, and she has worked intentionally to keep her family united. Corrie played an important and deeply integrated role within the Richens family, particularly during times of hardship. When Eric's mother passed away in Hawaii, Corrie provided steady emotional support to the entire family and assisted in organizing funeral arrangements, stepping in wherever help was needed during a very painful period. Her commitment to Eric's family was genuine and enduring. At one point, Eric's mother expressed that Corrie was not simply her daughter-in-law, but her daughter, a reflection of the closeness and trust Corrie had earned within the family. Corrie and Eric prioritized time with extended family, creating meaningful memories together, including regular visits to St. George, Utah, to spend time with Eric's grandmother. When one of Eric's sisters faced unemployment, Corrie helped her secure work at the hospital where she herself was employed. She also routinely provided childcare for her sister-in-law's children, allowing them time together as a couple. Her involvement went beyond logistical help. She always participated in family milestones, including serving in a bridal party and assisting with wedding planning for another of Eric's sisters. During a particularly difficult period in that sister's life, Corrie accompanied her to a self-help retreat, offering both emotional support and companionship. Within the Rachel's family, Corrie often served as a source of calm and connection. She consistently worked to ease tensions, provide comfort, and maintain relationships during challenging moments. Her efforts contributed significantly to the overall well-being of the family. Corrie's compassion extended well beyond her immediate and extended family. She opened her home to the parents of a friend whose house had been damaged, offering them a safe place during a difficult time. When another friend's parents lacked firewood, their sole source of heat during the winter, Corrie arranged for a truckload of wood to ensure they stayed warm. She maintained close supportive friendships, particularly participated fully in friends' major life events, and was actively involved in the lives of their children. As a neighbor, Corrie was equally attentive and caring. Her home was offering a gathering place for neighborhood children, and she routinely prepared meals for parents working late or offered help to neighbors facing illness, including one undergoing chemotherapy. Her generosity was never performative. It was quiet, consistent, and motivated by genuine concern for others. Corrie is not a perfect person, but she is an authentic one. Her life has been marked by steady acts of kindness, loyalty, and service toward her family, her friends, and her community. She was always found purpose in easing the burden of others and helping people through difficult moments. Following Corrie's separation from her children, they were placed in a living situation that differed from what they expressed as their preference, despite having strong and meaningful bonds with extended family who had long played an active role in helping raise them. As young children, they have little control over these decisions, which added to their sense of uncertainty and loss. Corrie's sons are now facing significant emotional challenges in their day-to-day lives. They are processing grief, separation, and repeated changes, all at an age when stability is critical. Like their mother, Corrie's eldest son is especially sensitive and expressive, and he has struggled deeply with these transitions. All three boys are currently receiving counseling, which has been essential in helping them cope. Corrie has consistently supported therapeutic intervention and has emphasized the importance of counseling, not only for each child individually, but for the family as a whole. In particular, she has advocated for additional individual support for her eldest child, recognizing his specific emotional needs. The circumstances surrounding their separation and the roles governing communications have made it difficult for Corrie and her children to openly share their feelings with one another. This limitation has taken an emotional toll on both the boys and their mother. Important thoughts, reassurances, and emotions often remain unspoken, creating additional stress and sadness. As a mother, Corrie experiences deep, deep anguish over her inability to comfort her children as she once did. She worries constantly about their emotional well-being and struggles with the pain of knowing they are hurting while being unable to fully support them. Her concern for her sons remains constant and unwavering. Corrie has endured profound emotional and personal suffering since the loss of her husband. She is grieving the absence of the man she loved and built a light with while navigating separation from her children and family under intense public scrutiny. The weight of these losses is immense and it has affected not only Corrie, but her entire family, her mother, her children, and those who love her. Despite being incarcerated, Corrie has continued to demonstrate resilience and personal responsibility. Within the confines of jail, she has dedicated herself to education and self-improvement, using her time to study and work toward meaningful goals. These efforts reflect her character and her desire to grow, contribute, and remain a constructive presence even under extremely difficult circumstances. Like many marriages, Corrie and Eric faced challenges. When difficulties arose, they chose to address them responsibly by seeking marriage counseling rather than turning away from one another. Those efforts strengthened their relationship. By all accounts, from those closest to them, they were in a period of renewed connection and commitment, focused on their family and their future together. Your Honor, I stand before you as Corrie's mother. I love my daughter. I have known her for her entire life, not just through this case. I cannot speak to every aspect of what Corrie has considered, but I can speak to who she is as a human being, as a mother, and as a member of her family. I do not believe that Corrie did this, nor do I believe Corrie could possibly be capable of this crime. I can't validate what she did financially one way or another, and that's something Corrie will have to live with. I respectfully ask the court to consider a sentence that holds Corrie accountable for the jury's verdict, while still allowing for the possibility of mercy and hope. A sentence without the opportunity for parole would permanently separate her from her children and leave no room for redemption. Corrie's life has meaning, especially to her three sons and her family, and I respectfully ask that the sentence reflect not only accountability, but also the potential for rehabilitation and the profound long-term impact on innocent children. Your Honor, I ask from a mother's heart that Corrie be given a sentence that allows the possibility of a future, one in which she can continue to grow and one day be a positive presence in life and her children's lives again. I firmly believe the jury reached an incorrect conclusion and that this outcome represents a profound injustice driven by personal bias. I do not believe Corrie is capable of committing murder. No one understands her loves her children as deeply as their mother does. Thank you for listening, Your Honor. I love you, Corrie, Carter, Ashton, and Weston. Her story does not end with this sentence. It is the strength of her comeback that will define it. [01:43:14] Speaker 1: Thank you, Ms. Lori. [01:43:17] Speaker 4: Your Honor, this time we would ask Renee Odom. She is going to read her own letter. She will be asked that she approach the podium and I will provide it to the court and the prosecution as well. Of course. [01:43:29] Speaker 1: Renee, good morning. [01:43:30] Speaker 13: Good morning. [01:43:32] Speaker ?: One moment, please. Thank you. [01:43:37] Speaker 1: Renee, please proceed. [01:43:40] Speaker 13: My name is Renee Odom and I am here today as the sister of Corrie Regence. I want to begin by saying nothing I shared today is meant to excuse or lessen the seriousness of what has brought us here. Eric's life was taken and that loss is permanent. I want to acknowledge Eric by name and say that I loved him. He was kind to me. He was a part of my life, a part of my children's life, and a part of my family. He matters deeply and he is missed. This tragedy has devastated our family and its deepest impact continues to fall on Corrie's three boys. For more than three years now, they have been unable to see or speak with their mother. They have lost their father and at the same time they have lost access to their mom. Even in separation, Corrie has never stopped being their mother. She writes to her boys every single week. She reaches out every birthday, every holiday, holding on to that connection with everything she has and reminding them that they are loved. Corrie is my baby sister and she has been an integral part of my life and the lives of my children. She has shown up for our family in ways that are impossible to count. I was there at her graduation from high school. I was there for the wedding of Corrie and Eric, moments filled with love, hope, and dreams for the future. She was there for my wedding and the birth of my son. She was there for me when I graduated college. She stood beside me at the baptism of both of my daughters. She poured her heart into giving my oldest daughter a beautiful sweet 16. These were not obligations to her. This is who she is. Corrie has always been the glue that held our family together. She hosts every Christmas. She planned every family vacation and made sure that no one ever felt forgotten or left behind. She believes deeply in helping others and she has lived with this belief throughout her life. Even from behind bars, Corrie has continued to help people, offering support and encouragement and kindness any way she can. That desire to be of service has never left her. Corrie is a great sister, an awesome aunt, an amazing daughter, and she will always be a devoted mother. She is also the smartest person I know. Corrie has earned two masters degrees and is applying to a Ph.D. program. Growth and learning and becoming better for herself and others have always mattered to her. Most of all, she loved her husband and her children with everything that she was. I continue to struggle to reconcile this tragedy with a loving sister and the mother I have always known. I understand and respect the court's responsibility to impose a just and lawful sentence. I am not here to challenge the verdict or to minimize the harm that has occurred. I only ask that the court see the full human picture. The pain, the accountability, the lifelong consequences that are already we carry. Please leave room for hope of a life with her boys. The impact of this tragedy will remain with Corrie and her children for the rest of their lives. Our family deeply feels the absence of her presence and that of her boys, her guidance and her love. I love you, Corrie, and I will always stand by you. Thank you, Your Honor for letting me speak and answering my words. [01:47:08] Speaker 4: Your Honor, at this time I'm going to read a letter from Bree Darden. That is Corrie's sister-in-law who also worked with her at her real estate business. I know you've heard some testimony about that. She has a newborn baby so she can't be here. Your Honor, I was introduced to the Richens family around eight years ago. Excuse me. And was able to have been around Corrie, Eric, and the boys since the youngest was one. I spent many days, weekends, holidays, birthdays, barbecues, etc. with them all. And was able to learn so much about the family dynamic and the love they had for one another. No, their family wasn't perfect. No one's is. But those boys were loved beyond belief by both parents. Corrie and Eric did everything for the boys. To protect them. To teach them. To encourage them. To show them love. And mostly to show them two loving parents. My heart goes out to the three boys as they do not deserve to be going through all this. As well as they do not deserve to be alienated from one side of their family. I miss them dearly every day. To know Corrie is to know the love she has in her heart. Corrie's one of the most selfless and caring people I know. She lived for those boys and lived to be the best wife she could be. Yes, she made mistakes in her marriage as we know. So did Eric. But at the end of the day, they chose each other and their family. As a loving mother, exceptional caretaker, and benevolent humanitarian. Corrie was truly a devoted volunteer. She never stood still when she knew she could help another. Embodying the definition of true character. From the moment this sudden, unexplainable tragedy occurred. There has been a distaste for Corrie for personal reasons rather than factual reasons. From allegations made by individuals she regarded as family. To authorities not conducting a systemically correct investigation and then not being given a suitable, unbiased Benari. The conclusion of this case seemed inevitable. Although I am not here to argue the verdict, I am here to help provide perspective on views you are unable to hear about. Corrie is a mother, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, widow, and at the end of the day, an imperfect person striving for grace. She is someone who the community trusted, neighbors enjoyed, and her boys counted on as a supporter. I respectfully ask that the court consider the totality of her character and her full life history when making a determination. The next individual that spoke is Corrie's aunt. This is Lisa's sister. Her name is Doreen Corrie. Your Honor, thank you for allowing me to speak today. I have spent many sleepless nights trying to find the right words for this moment because it is heartbreaking to stand here and speak about someone I care deeply about in a courtroom like this. I believe in you, Corrie, and I am very proud to be your aunt. I stand before the court not to minimize the seriousness of this case, but to speak about the person I have known outside of these proceedings. The woman I know is not the monster these proceedings may have made her appear to be. When I think about her, I do not think about charges, headlines, or verdicts. I think about the mother I watched love her children with every part of herself. I think about the woman who worked hard to build a better life through education, determination, and sacrifice. I think about someone who wanted more not only for herself, but for her children and the people she loved. Her children were never just part of her life. They were her entire world. I watched her celebrate their accomplishments, comfort them in difficult times, and carry the weight of motherhood every single day. She loved fiercely, deeply, and unconditionally. Eric and those boys were her life. Both Eric and Corrie were very loving and attentive parents. They were solid, they loved hard, and they played hard. I also watched her work tirelessly to educate herself and create stability for her family. She pushed herself because she believed in building a meaningful future. She was proud of what she accomplished, but even more proud of being a mother. This conviction does not erase the years of humanity, goodness, and compassion that existed before this moment. I know there are people who may only see the charge or the verdict, but I ask the court to remember. A person is more than the worst moment of their life, or in this case, more than a verdict that many of us still struggle to understand and accept. The woman I know is compassionate, intelligent, nurturing, and deeply human. I do not believe she is cruel or beyond redemption. I believe there is still goodness in her, and I know there are many others who believe that, too. Whatever sentence is imposed today will not only affect her, it will echo through the lives of her children, her family, and everyone who loves her for years to come. Her children still need their mother's guidance, love, voice, and presence in whatever way they can still have it. I understand the weight of the court's responsibility, and I speak with respect for these proceedings. I only ask that when sentencing is considered, the court remembers the whole person standing before you today. Not only this moment, but the years she spent loving, learning, sacrificing, and being a devoted mother. I love you, Cory, and I love those precious boys. I ask for mercy, I ask for compassion, and I ask that the court see the humanity in her that so many of us have seen for years. All right, the next one is an individual that did not want their name read in the public, so I'm going to provide it to the court and the prosecution only. To the Honorable Judge Morozik, I'm writing to respectfully share my personal relationship at Conservations with the Bridges family and three young boys, and to ask that you consider sentencing Cory to 25 years to life, rather than life without the possibility of parole. From 2017 to 2019, I had the privilege of working as a babysitter for Cory and Eric's three children. I was able to view this family at a time when things in life were good for them. The youngest, Weston, was still in diapers, and we worked on potty training together. What struck me most during that time was the stable, loving, and orderly home the three boys had to grow up in. Cory was a young mother, close in age to two of my own children, and she'd established a true house of order. The home was beautifully decorated. I particularly remember the bright fall decor. The walls were lined with photos of the boys at different ages, and they had a wonderful playroom over the garage. The family worked together, played hard together, and clearly loved one another. I recognized the effort and pride in caring for her family. When she was out of town one week, she left detailed meal plans for me, to use the crockpot, so Eric could come home each night to dinner with the boys. Those meals were so good that I replicated them for my own family. I was so impressed by her age progression photo display in the hallway that I had canvases made of my own grandchildren in a similar fashion. I even copied some of her simple but festive fall decorations and bought similar cowboy kid toys for my grandchildren after seeing how much her boys enjoyed them. Cory's positive influence extended beyond her own family. I brought many of her ideas home with me. I do not wish to minimize the tragedy of this case. I watched the funeral online and was heartbroken, especially hearing young Carter say he would now be the man of the house. I believe Cory deeply cares for her children, and I have to believe they love her as well. Three boys' lives will be forever affected by the court's decision. I believe in the possibility of rehabilitation and the value of preserving hope. I respectfully ask that you not eliminate the chance that one day these three sons would be able to make their own choice as to whether or not to have a relationship with their mother. Cory is not a threat to society. Please give her the opportunity to serve her sentence with a possibility of someday returning to her family. Thank you for your time and considering my perspective. Your Honor, the next individual that's going to be addressing the court is going to do it himself. And that is Mr. Greg Holland. He's here to read his statement to the court. Sir, please proceed. [01:56:14] Speaker ?: Good morning. Good morning, Your Honor. [01:56:16] Speaker 1: Before I say anything else, I want to express my deepest sympathy and most sincere condolences to the rich in Zundard and Spain. [01:56:26] Speaker 14: Nothing I say today is meant to diminish the weight of what has brought us into this courtroom today. My name is Greg Hall, I have known Corey for over seven years, both personally and professionally. And we have stayed in daily contact by phone, text and in-person visits throughout her entire incarceration here in Suffolk County. I am here today to share with you what I have witnessed firsthand about the person I know. In the years before, Corey was incarcerated, she made a habit of looking for people who were struggling. She not only volunteered for many years at children's schools and donated, which you've heard about the hundred pairs of snow boots, but she also did follow up to make sure that those children had clothes. She has volunteered at the soup kitchen for years and brought her boys along with her because she wanted them to teach them about service and kindness to others. When Corey found out a neighbor had been diagnosed with cancer, she anonymously arranged for a massage therapist to visit her. When my own wife was in an auto accident, a care package showed up at our home. If a family was having a difficult time purchasing a home, she would offer to take little or no commission in order to help them. Please know that none of these things were ever done for recognition. They were done because all she ever wanted to do was good. Your Honor, what I would like the court to understand the most is that the goodness and kindness toward other people that defined Corey before her arrest has not gone away since being incarcerated. When new inmates arrive frightened and disorientated, Corey is the first to step in. She helps them get their footing in an environment that is unfamiliar and frightening to them. She has also tutored other inmates working to further their education. She has helped women who cannot read or write navigate through the system and draft letters to their family on the outside. When women in her unit receive bad news from home, she is the first to sit with them and comfort them. She has used her time inside to study and she takes her studies very seriously. She has earned multiple degrees including a master's degree since being incarcerated because she wants to be abused to other incarcerated women who struggle with literacy, with their legal paperwork and with the simple daily reality of being inside. [02:00:14] Speaker ?: She enjoys studying religion and ethics and the practical application they have in our lives. [02:00:24] Speaker 14: She attends weekly church services and has helped to create new programs within the jail that other inmates now rely on. She studies late into the night every night. She prays for her boys and for her family every day. She also prays for others in need. She writes to her sons though her letters are returned to her unopened. She has not stopped trying to contact them to express her love for them. Your Honor, the quarry that I talk with each day is still filled with kindness, with goodness. Even to this day as we speak to one another, she continues to ask and care about how people on the outside are doing. Like him, her family, people we mutually know, before ever talking about herself. I am not here to argue with the verdict of this court. I am here to tell you that the person I have known for over seven years is still there, still trying, still useful to people around her and the small ways available to her to continue to be of service and provide acts of kindness. I only ask that the court please take this into consideration today. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, sir. [02:02:09] Speaker 4: Thank you, Your Honor. The next two letters are from individuals who are investors with Ms. Richens in her real estate business. Both of these individuals did experience losses of money. So although they may not be victims in this case, they, I guess, are technically victims in the case that is pending. Their, their, their, their perspective is important. The first one I, for some reason I only have one copy I'm going to give just a moment for Mr. Bloodworth to read it. Then I'll read it and then I'll hand it to the court. [02:02:40] Speaker 3: Thank you. [02:02:41] Speaker ?: Honorable Judge Morozik, I'm writing to you regarding whatever sentence you need to impose on Corey Richens. [02:02:54] Speaker 4: I implore you to impose the lowest sentence possible, including the possibility for parole. Due to the defense resting in this case, you and the jury only heard everything negative that could possibly be said about her from the prosecution, their witnesses and the media. There was always another side of her that was not presented. As one of the investors in some of Corey Richens' properties, she never asked that we invest. We always asked her after seeing the quality of the work done. She had a real estate license and got a general contractor's license. Yes, we made money on some of the properties and yes, we lost money on the legacy property due to her arrest. She made sure we were aware that we could lose our investments. During the time we did spend with her, we found her to be honest, caring, super smart and constantly talking about her love of Eric and her children. She adores those boys and was involved in all aspects of their lives and very proud of all of them. I understand she has used the time in jail to obtain a second master's degree. I honestly believe that even spending time in prison, that she could still be a valuable and contributing member of society and hopefully one day have a relationship with her boys. I do totally understand how difficult it is to have someone's life in your hands, as I felt that weight as an Air Force flight nurse in Iraq, many times caring for our wounded warriors. We all need to have hope. Please do not take that from her, as she has already lost so much. And I'm not going to reveal the name on the public. Thank you. The second one is also an investor, Your Honor, that did lose a significant amount of money. So some type of victim status here. Honorable Richard Mosek, thank you, Your Honor, for the opportunity to address the court at this sentencing hearing for Corey Richens. May I first say that I was so impressed with your professionalism and demeanor during the trial. It appeared to me that you were very thoughtful in trying to judge fairly during the court proceedings. I would like to speak on my real estate experience with Corey over the three years that I invested in 10 or more fix and flip home transactions. My wife, my son, and I were so impressed with Corey and the great job she did in finding and remodeling the homes that we invested in. She worked hard at making those properties look beautiful after they were remodeled and we all made money from them. We could not have been more proud of Corey and happy for her and her family. Knowing from her brother Ronnie that she'd lost her father at a younger age, I told her once in a text message that I was unofficially adopting her as my daughter. She was a great mom for her boys and she and Eric were so involved in our lives. What has happened since has been a tragedy for all the families involved. I met Eric but knew that he and his workers helped with some of the stonework on the remodels. Corey and Eric helped stage a house that my son and I remodeled that Corey found for us in Ogden. She listed it and had it sold in three days. Those were good times when the market was great for doing fix and flips and we all benefited from it. Unfortunately, about the time of Eric's passing, the market changed and interest rates skyrocketed. Those who had house remodeled properties suddenly found the buyer's market dried up and houses were not selling. We lost money as well as many of our friends in the real estate business. In watching some of the proceedings on court TV, I personally did not think that the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Corey was guilty and responsible for Eric's death. I was surprised at the jury's verdict because it left doubt in my mind based on the testimonies given. Corey has lost everything -- her husband, her three young boys, friends, family, and her home. May I appeal to the court that her sentencing may grant her the possibility of parole at some future time. Thank you for your kind consideration. And also this name we are not reading out loud. We also have several very short statements from people who have worked with Ms. Richens in the jail. These are volunteers that give their time, no money, that come to the jail to help people that are incarcerated to try to better themselves and better their lives. This first one is from the art class facilitator, Ms. Katie Fish. Dear Judge Mrozik, I am writing to you today on behalf of Ms. Corey Richens. I have known Corey over the last two years within the context of the educational programs for the Summit County Justice Center. I facilitate an art class as a representative of Mountain Life Church. In that art class, Corey has carried herself with ease and warm regard to the other inmates and those of us present as facilitators. While she has shown care for the other inmates, she has also been very respectful to those of us facilitating. Even when she has been carrying challenging emotions, she has conducted herself with respect and grace. I understand that my interactions have been limited and have been laced with an expectation of certain polite behavior. But it is also not just a given that inmates will uphold that same respect and decorum. She has chosen to present with ease, care, and grace. From the brief conversations we've had about her life, I do believe she is a different person from who she was before being there. I hope and pray that her heart continues to be led toward faith and transformation. Thank you for your time. The next individual is another volunteer who teaches the class of biblical truth at the jail. This individual is named Eric Aver. My name is Eric Marty Aver. Through Mountain Life Church in Park City, I have been a volunteer at the Summit County Jail for eight years, helping to teach biblical truth to those incarcerated there and leading church services on Sunday afternoons. Corey Richens has been a regular attendee of these services since May of 2023, the start of her incarceration, and has shown an amazingly consistent and upbeat, positive attitude. Corey contributes in the church service discussions. She frequently comes alongside other inmates and encourages them to attend church as well. Not only does she encourage church attendance, she also carries the applicable issues that we discussed back to the pod where she resides, looking to find the peace and love of Jesus Christ in difficult situations where the inmates live. I have witnessed her kindness in talking with and encouraging fellow inmates that they can succeed in drug treatment programs, complete education programs, and work to overcome frustrations that come with poor decisions that end up with incarceration. So please call me with any questions or let me know what I can do to help with regards to poor ridges. And then the last one is also, I believe, a pastor that leads church services. Wait, did you get this one? Uh, no, I think I... Hold that out for a second. [02:10:32] Speaker ?: Hold that out for a second. [02:10:35] Speaker 4: Yeah, I do... I don't think I have that one, so I may need... Thank you. This next one, then, is from Craig Moline, who's one of the pastors as well. [02:10:46] Speaker ?: Can you... [02:10:47] Speaker 4: Read that... To the Honorable Richard Morozik. Your Honor, I'm one of four people privileged to rotate in on Sunday afternoons from Mount Lyme Church to lead church services with inmates at Summit County Jail. On any typical Sunday, we will pray with inmates, sing a couple of songs, no matter how bad it may sound, read a psalm and discuss it, and then teach on a subject from Scripture. For three years now, Corey Richens has been in attendance to those services. We've seen her be hospitable to other inmates, inviting them to services. She's participated in discussions, and we've seen her as a help to other inmates. At the beginning, we gave her a study Bible that helps give life application hints along with an explanation of the text. I smiled recently when I saw her Bible sitting in front of her, and I observed, "It doesn't look new anymore. It looks like a well-read book." In our teaching and discussions, we have talked about being intentional, about posturing our hearts before Sovereign God, and coming to Him with humility with our prayers. We talk about what it means to have a personal and intimate relationship with God through Jesus. She has acknowledged her faith in Jesus, and acknowledged she has felt His peace in rough times, what is often expressed in the Psalms. She has commented, "When life around you falls apart, we still have a God to lean into and who reaches down and cares for us and gives us comfort and hope." The Corey I know will thrive where she is. She will trust in her God for peace, and she will pray. She will continue to pray for her loved ones, and she will be a positive influence to those around her, respectfully submitted. And then one last letter from the jail. Oh, yes. This is also a volunteer, an individual named Heidi Tunney. "Dear Judge Morozik, I'm writing to you on behalf of Corey Richens. I've been working with Corey over the past two-plus years as a volunteer at the Summit County Correctional Facility. I taught her in the Addiction Recovery Program, I attended church with her on occasion, I worked with her in a yoga program that I started at the facility for the incarcerated men and women too. I found Corey to be very easy to work with and very enjoyable to be around. She was very thoughtful in her conversations in class. She always showed the utmost gratitude for anything that was done on her behalf. I also noticed that she was a leader among the other incarcerated women. She tended to be a peacemaker and stayed above the fray and away from the pettiness and challenges that sometimes arise among incarcerated women. The women in general respected her and looked to her as a leader. Corey actually was one of the women that asked me to get a yoga program started for the incarcerated women. She saw a need there and she acted on it. I started and have taught that class for almost two years now. Corey was the most dedicated student. She only missed a couple of times the entire time I taught and the times she did miss were when she was meeting with attorneys or had court appearances. She has continued to attend even after she was found guilty at her trial. I wish nothing but the best for Corey, she has a very long road ahead of her. I hope and pray she will continue to use the programs provided to those that are incarcerated to better herself and lead the other women around her. The last letter we have in this section is going to be read by Corey's brother, Ronnie, who is here to read it himself. And then we are going to have Mr. Ramos make a few very brief comments then we will conclude with our final three and then we will close out with Ms. Lewis and Ms. Richards unless the court needs a break. [02:14:33] Speaker 1: No, it might make sense to take a break before Ms. Richards given what you have previewed regarding the timing. [02:14:40] Speaker 4: Great, great suggestion, Your Honor. [02:14:42] Speaker ?: Okay. [02:14:42] Speaker 4: Alright, this is if Ronnie can come on up. [02:14:57] Speaker 15: Good morning, Your Honor. I'd like to address the court with actually a person but I did a break before you. Okay. Little sister, I love you. I miss you. I miss our random banter. I miss your calls. I miss your constantly over-the-top positive attitude every time we speak. I miss our game nights. I miss our stupid finger gun dance after we won a game. I miss our holidays. I miss you sending the boys to wake me up on Christmas morning. Way too early after we've stayed up way too late preparing Christmas for them so that it would be absolute perfect. We're Sundays together. I miss arguing with the boys about who's better. Messi or Ronaldo. Brady or Rogers. I miss our backyard games. I miss me and the boys running all over you. I have sports in the backyard and an arrogant man because you weren't competitive enough. And you were really just out there to have fun and laugh. I miss you constantly luring me into your newest ideas and getting me excited about them. And I miss vacationing. I miss family volleyball. I miss playing Madden and FIFA with Eric and the boys. I miss your stupid goats. I miss the soccer games and the celebrations we created for the boys after they scored a goal. I miss Carter's smile and his obsession with guilt videos. Ashton's freckles and his competitiveness. And Weston's baby blues and tenderheartedness. I miss hearing them say "Wani" and playing catch in your living room. I miss your family. I miss our family. I miss the life that was stolen. I miss the life that was stolen from us. For reasons that we can't yet fully understand. We don't with 100% certainty know what happened Eric. No one does, but we do know with 100% certainty that it wasn't caused by you. We know that. The police know it. The prosecution knows it. And everyone watching this trial knows it. They could not prove their theory. Just the opposite. And yet here we are. For some reason unbeknownst to us, really bad things happen to really good people in court. And you were just really too good of a person, I guess. I promised Dad a long time ago that I'd always look after you, Mom, and I intend on keeping that promise. We'll get through this together. When the injustice has occurred here in this courtroom, it'll be righted in time. Your innocence will shine too brightly to be contained once you've actually had a fair shot of defending yourself. When the day comes, just know, I just know, somehow, that you're going to change a lot of lives that really need your help. And until then, little sister, just know. Just now then, right by your side, I'm always prepared for you. I love you. All right, thank you. [02:18:21] Speaker ?: Mr. Reynolds. Morning, Judge. Your Honor, I want to maybe begin by speaking just plainly and honestly. I disagree with the jury's verdict. I'm deeply saddened. I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. Mr. Reynolds. [02:18:27] Speaker 1: Mr. Reynolds. I want to maybe begin by speaking just plainly and honestly. [02:18:31] Speaker ?: I disagree with the jury's verdict. I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. I don't believe that this outcome fully reflects the truth or the humanity involved. I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. I don't believe that this outcome fully reflects the truth or the humanity involved. I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. I don't believe that this outcome fully reflects the truth or the humanity involved. I don't believe that this outcome fully reflects the truth or the humanity involved. But, our constitution demands something. [02:18:38] Speaker 16: I'm deeply saddened by the way that justice was rendered in this case. I don't believe that this outcome fully reflects the truth or the humanity involved. Our constitution demands something difficult of all of us, especially officers of the court. It demands restraint. It demands respect for the process, even when the outcome wounds us. And so, while I disagree with the verdict, I respect the verdict's decision. And while I disagree with many of this court's rulings, I respect the lawful authority of this court. This is because the rule of law only survives if we continue to honor it even in moments of disappointment and pain. But as a Catholic, there's one authority higher than any courtroom, verdict, or government power, not as God. I say that as a reminder of humanity and of human limitation. Our system of justice is imperfect because every human is imperfect. I think that humility matters here today. It matters because the sentence of life without parole risks becoming something greater than punishment. It risks becoming the declaration that redemption no longer matters. Late Pope Francis said that life without parole is just a death penalty in disguise because it extinguishes something fundamental to human dignity. [02:20:39] Speaker ?: That is hope. [02:20:39] Speaker 16: Hope to all involved. Victims condemned alike. Refusing to impose a sentence of life without parole today doesn't mean Cory is going to walk free. It doesn't mean that she will someday leave custody. She may very well spend the rest of her natural life in prison. It also does not mean that her victims who have spoken today, her kids, doesn't mean that they have to forgive her. They may never change their minds. They may never forgive their mother. And also no court has the authority to demand that they do. But refusing to impose a sentence of life without parole does mean that we do not close the door completely. It means we do not presume to know with absolute certainty what a human life, victim or condemned, may become decades from now. It means that we do not extinguish hope entirely. Time changes people. Pain changes people. Grief changes people. Even victims and victims' families over years and decades sometimes arrive at places their present suffering could never foresee. Some discover forgiveness. Some discover peace. Some simply discover that healing and permanent condemnation are not always the same thing. And others don't. A sentence of life without parole assumes none of that human change matters. Not the change in the person condemned, not the change in those harmed. A life without parole sentence freezes every human being, victim and condemned, inside the worst moment of their life, and declares that moment permanent. Our Constitution demands more restraint than that, because a real measure of justice is not what we do when mercy is easy. It is whether we preserve humanity when mercy is hardest. No sentence handed down today will undo suffering. A different verdict wouldn't have reversed tragedy. But there is a profound moral difference between saying you must be punished and saying you are beyond redemption forever. One is justice restrained by humility, the other risks becoming judgment without end. And no human institution possesses moral certainty to make that judgment absolutely. That lies with God and all. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Ruffles. Thank you, Ms. Ruffles. [02:23:51] Speaker 4: Your Honor, I told you in the opening statements that we were going to do something a little bit different when we called upon some perspectives of people that don't even know Corey, but that have been through this horrific journey through no choice of their own. One is from a mother whose son was murdered. Again, we're going to just share her name with only the court and use for the prosecution. Honor World Judge Richard Mrazik. I'm going to skip the names, including the name of her son. My son was murdered almost 30 years ago in a random act of violence. He was only 18 years old. The man who killed him was just a few months older. I know the kind of grief that changes your life. I have felt the despair, darkness, and rage that comes from that loss. I know what it's like to try to rebuild your life with a heart that will never be whole again. And I know what it feels like to believe that the only thing that will ease that pain is inflicting pain on the person responsible for never getting another date with the one you love. I grieve with the family of Eric Richens. I am heartbroken for them, especially his children. And I want to be clear that nothing I'm sharing today about the criminal justice system and its many failings should be taken as any sort of criticism of them and how they feel or act in their grief. But I feel compelled to share my perspective with the court because I wish I had known what might be on the other side of experiencing the grief of losing my son and trying to navigate the criminal justice process at the same time. And I don't envy the decisions you have to make. I only want to tell you a little of what one broken hearted mother has learned. And that is that the criminal justice system needs more humanity. It needs more mercy. And I know this because of the man who murdered my son. Sending someone to prison without the possibility of parole should be reserved for the very rare, absolutely most heinous cases. Sending someone to prison without the possibility of parole is to decide they are irredeemable, that they are not capable of change and will never be worthy of our trust again. It is a fate so bleak I am not sure how anyone survives it, let alone do what my son's killer did. He went into the worst place imaginable and found a way to be a better human being. He spent the first 18 years of his adult life in maximum security. Those who are sentenced to life without the possibility of parole have few opportunities to participate in programs or work because resources are limited. And why would they waste them on someone who is never getting out of prison? The criminal justice system has gotten better and better at punishment. Mercy has almost been extinguished. We are supposed to find a balance, we are supposed to remember that these are human beings, and these decisions will ripple through generations, even strangers. I am afraid with the increasing number of people sentenced to life without even the possibility of parole. We have decided it is easier to throw people away than to try and help them change, or even allow them to try and make amends for their mistakes. Far too often we let our fear and our pain put the focus on punishment with no consideration for mercy. I did that. I wanted the man who killed my son to die. I wanted him to suffer. I didn't care what happened to him as long as he never got out of prison. But as much as I know about pain and loss, I know more about hope and forgiveness. And that's thanks in part to the man who killed my son. He was sent to one of the worst places in the world and became one of the best people I know. Nearly 20 years after my son's death, I received a letter he wrote, expressing his sorrow and his remorse. His apology helped me heal, deepened my forgiveness, and created a bond that continues to bless the lives of many people. I know that every case is different, but I also know the power of hope. I believe in second chances. I believe a life sentence imposes punishment without destroying hope. My personal hope for Corey is that she does what that individual did. That she finds a way to become a better person no matter what. I thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I know it's a heavy burden to make this decision. Express love and support to those involved and pray we'll all be better to each other. And then I also would have one more and then we have someone who's been a testify of Webex. [02:28:34] Speaker ?: Speak on Webex. [02:28:35] Speaker 4: Speak on Webex, not testify, sorry, speak on Webex. This is very short, your honor. It's from a former prosecutor that imposed these types of punishments. Thank you so much. Also I'm keeping his name private. As a matter of fact, I'm going to skip the very first sentence because it would reveal who he is. So I'll just let the court read the first sentence quietly. I was in charge of the prosecution of a young man who committed two serious homicides at the Long Haven restaurant. He was prosecuted and found guilty. He was sentenced to two consecutive five to life terms. Twenty years later, while no longer a prosecutor, I happened to be at the Utah State Prison on government business. I was given a tour of the prison industries unit and I saw an individual sitting at a large desk in front of a bank of computers. I asked about him and was told that he was the individual who had committed the crimes at Long Haven. I was told he was a model inmate, spoke five languages, had two master's degrees from Utah State, and was used as a go-between when there was unrest among inmates. He was respected by his fellow inmates. He was indispensable at the industries and had set up the entire computer system to run the unit. Coincidentally, the very next day I was speaking with a son-in-law of the father of one of the victims. He related to me how there had been a complete reconciliation between their family and the killer of their son. They had long ago forgiven him and wondered if I could help getting him paroled. I still had connections in the criminal justice system and I told them I would try. I subsequently met with him at the prison and I was equally impressed with how he had turned his life around. We were able to get him an expedited parole hearing. Tragically, he died from suicide a few months later when he was falsely accused of inappropriate access of the state computer system and removed from his position into a secure unit of the prison. This case was a textbook lesson of how rehabilitation can work. He was not the same cocky, druggie that we sent to prison 20 years ago. I saw absolutely no reason why he needed to spend more years in custody. Even his fellow inmates told me they were convinced he had done everything to reform himself and become a valuable member of society. I agree. Keeping someone incarcerated when they've proven themselves is just plain wrong. Prison sentences without possibility of parole create the same issue. I believe it should be reserved for the most violent and dangerous of individuals. Thank you for taking the time to read this. And then Ms. Lewis will introduce the final speaker and then she'll have her comments and then we'll take that break. [02:31:24] Speaker 1: Who is the person you'd like me to invite? [02:31:27] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard. [02:31:29] Speaker 1: One moment, please. Emery, if you'd please unmute your audio, I'd appreciate it. [02:31:50] Speaker 3: Are we able to see her? [02:31:51] Speaker 1: Oh, my apologies. Thank you. Emery, can you hear me okay? Yes, sir, I can. Okay. Ms. Lewis is going to make an introduction, and then you'll be free to make your statement. [02:32:12] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard understands what no one else in this courtroom understands, what the three children of Corey and Emery are going through. When Emery was 12, I believe she can correct me if I'm off there a little bit, her father violently killed her mother and she and her brother were in the next room. He was convicted. He was convicted and the state was seeking death, but ultimately he, at that time, when the jury could decide unanimously on death, he was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. And I'm glad Emery can take it from there and say what she wants to say. [02:32:53] Speaker 1: Emery, please proceed. Emery Blanchard: Thank you, Judge. [02:32:56] Speaker 5: Emery Blanchard: Good afternoon. Emery Blanchard: I was asked here today to speak about a personal experience. Emery Blanchard: My name is Emery Blanchard. I grew up in Park City and in 1995, when I was 13, my father murdered my mother, Patty. Emery Blanchard: It was a brutal and premeditated murder and I was in the house when it happened and witnessed it. Emery Blanchard: It was a death penalty case when my father was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Emery Blanchard: At the time, I wanted him to go to prison for a long time and I didn't want to see him again. Emery Blanchard: I was afraid for my life and safety as well. Emery Blanchard: My mother's parents and uncle raised me. Emery Blanchard: We would refuse phone calls from the prison, but my family collected every letter Emery Blanchard: he sent and saved them in boxes just in case I ever wanted to read them. Emery Blanchard: In a short four years, when I was about to turn 18, I decided I wanted to see my dad. Emery Blanchard: I had questions regarding the murder that I needed answered for my own health. Emery Blanchard: My amazing grandmother offered to take me to the prison while I was a minor if I wanted to see my dad. Emery Blanchard: I wanted to spare her from having to face the man who killed her daughter, Emery Blanchard: so I waited until I was 18 and could go to the prison on my own. Emery Blanchard: I didn't know if I would be fearful of my father or perhaps even so angry that I might attack him. Emery Blanchard: None of that happened. Emery Blanchard: The moment I saw him for the first time in over four years, he simply hung his head and said to me, Emery Blanchard: I'm sorry. Emery Blanchard: We both burst into tears and held each other. Emery Blanchard: I felt safe and as whole as possible again in his embrace. Emery Blanchard: Yes, this was the man who killed my wonderful mother, Emery Blanchard: but at that moment I realized he was still my dad and I still needed him. Emery Blanchard: The next decades were good at times and very hard at times. Emery Blanchard: Many years I visited my dad often in prison. Emery Blanchard: Some years were exceptionally hard for me and I chose not to see him at all. Emery Blanchard: I experienced a full range of emotions and all of them were valid. Emery Blanchard: I knew for my own health and peace I had to learn to let go and forgive. Emery Blanchard: No easy task, but this is when I truly mastered empathy and compassion. Emery Blanchard: My father served 25 years until his first parole hearing. Emery Blanchard: I was for parole, but nevertheless he was denied and given another five years. Emery Blanchard: At his age, I knew it was a death sentence, and it was. Emery Blanchard: Just last year, after 30 years of incarceration, Emery Blanchard: he died four days shy of his 81st birthday. Emery Blanchard: My second worst nightmare came true, the first being my mom being murdered. Emery Blanchard: I was not able to see him while he was dying. Emery Blanchard: There was no compassionate release. Emery Blanchard: Some may say he deserved that, and maybe he did. Emery Blanchard: I can tell you that no amount of time served Emery Blanchard: ever made this situation right. Emery Blanchard: 20 years, 30 years, and even death. Emery Blanchard: None of it can bring back my mom or repair the immeasurable damage Emery Blanchard: that he caused me and my family. Emery Blanchard: Once 20 years had passed, my grandmother even said to me, Emery Blanchard: "It's been long enough. Emery Blanchard: You want your dad." Emery Blanchard: I wanted my mom, but I did still have a living parent, Emery Blanchard: and I needed him. Emery Blanchard: I don't tell you this story to tell you how to feel, Emery Blanchard: or that I understand how you feel. Emery Blanchard: I'm offering that hearts and feelings can change over the years. Emery Blanchard: To honor my mother, I'm a victim advocate Emery Blanchard: who supports people in domestic violence situations. Emery Blanchard: And I now help people with PTSD heal at my ranch in southern Utah, Emery Blanchard: using nature, horses, and farm animals as teachers. Emery Blanchard: I teach compassion for humans and animals alike, Emery Blanchard: and I found a way to turn my pain into purpose. Emery Blanchard: But I will tell you honestly that life is still hard, Emery Blanchard: and losing both of my parents at that young age harmed me greatly Emery Blanchard: and left me with a very sad and lonely heart. Emery Blanchard: No amount of prison time made me feel better, Emery Blanchard: and in the later years my father's incarceration wore on me severely. Emery Blanchard: What I will leave you with is this. Emery Blanchard: Hold tightly to the good memories of your father, Emery Blanchard: and in time, perhaps your mother too. Emery Blanchard: Cling to your family and siblings for love and support. Emery Blanchard: Please let love reside in your hearts and not hate. Emery Blanchard: I pray for your family and for your peace and healing. Emery Blanchard: And thank you for allowing me to speak today. [02:37:31] Speaker 1: Dr. Emory Blanchard: Emery Blanchard: Emory Blanchard: Thank you very much. [02:37:34] Speaker 5: Emery Blanchard: Thank you, Emory. [02:37:49] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: Your Honor, there is so much more to sentencing a person than punishment. Emery Blanchard: That is why in sentencing someone, the court must consider the totality of the circumstances, the whole person, and who that person is beyond their worst half. Emery Blanchard: In their sentencing memo the state cited to State v. Holland, which was a death penalty case, Emery Blanchard: The state quoted the court as follows, "The psychological reality is that aggravating circumstances in first-degree murder cases will virtually always outweigh mitigating circumstances." Emery Blanchard: However, what the state left out is what the court said next, Emery Blanchard: Which was that the Eighth Amendment doesn't allow the death penalty in every case, Emery Blanchard: And courts must take a long, hard look at the totality of the circumstances, Emery Blanchard: The values of society, and the value of all human life. Emery Blanchard: And though this is not a death penalty case, Emery Blanchard: The same would apply to a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Emery Blanchard: Ms. Nestor spoke a little bit about what a life without parole sentence looks like. Emery Blanchard: Lockdown for 23 hours a day. Emery Blanchard: If we treated our dogs like this, they would be taken away. Emery Blanchard: Yet, this is how the state wants Corey Richards to be treated. Emery Blanchard: A sentence of life without parole is saved for only the most heinous of crimes. Emery Blanchard: The state wants to place Corey in that category. Emery Blanchard: They say she is in that category. Emery Blanchard: But this simply is not the type of crime that we typically see get a sentence of life without parole. Emery Blanchard: Currently, there are approximately Emery Blanchard: Only 72 people in Utah serving the sentence. Emery Blanchard: These include people such as Edward Deling, Emery Blanchard: the co-defendant of Vaughn Taylor, who is currently on death row. Emery Blanchard: They killed two women, kidnapped two young girls, Emery Blanchard: and attempted to kill those girls father by lighting their cabin on fire. Emery Blanchard: I believe that was in Summit County. Emery Blanchard: It includes Daniel Ray Troyer, a serial killer Emery Blanchard: and rapist of women in their 80s. Emery Blanchard: He was convicted of killing two women, Emery Blanchard: admitted to a third, Emery Blanchard: and likely killed a fourth. Emery Blanchard: That authorities are aware of. Emery Blanchard: It includes Matthew John Bruch, who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl, Emery Blanchard: stabbed her multiple times, severed her spinal cord, Emery Blanchard: and left her dead on her front porch. Emery Blanchard: It includes numerous individuals who murderly murdered children, Emery Blanchard: some who murdered police officers. Emery Blanchard: There are only a handful of people serving life without Emery Blanchard: the possibility of parole for killing a spouse. Emery Blanchard: And in all but one of these that I could find, Emery Blanchard: they killed more than just their spouse. Emery Blanchard: They are individuals who killed their spouse and a child, Emery Blanchard: or killed their spouse and someone else in the process. Emery Blanchard: The only one I'm aware of who killed a spouse Emery Blanchard: and no other individual is Craig Crawford, Emery Blanchard: who set fire to the home of his estranged husband, Emery Blanchard: leaving him to die in the fire. Emery Blanchard: And then there are individuals serving sentences of 15 to life, Emery Blanchard: who committed arguably more heinous acts than what Corey Richens has been convicted of. Emery Blanchard: Eric Sampson abused his wife for 28 years, Emery Blanchard: ultimately killing her in their St. George home, leaving her dead in their bed. Emery Blanchard: He continues to maintain his innocence. Emery Blanchard: And he's serving 15 to life. Emery Blanchard: John Weston Erickson stabbed his wife to death in front of their two young children, Emery Blanchard: also injuring his seven-year-old daughter who attempted to wrestle the knife out of his hand, Emery Blanchard: serving 15 to life. Emery Blanchard: Joseph Castillo, his wife, Emery Blanchard: stabbed his wife to death in their garage, Emery Blanchard: while his teenage son tried to stop the attack. Emery Blanchard: These men are all serving 15 to life sentences. Emery Blanchard: There are many more examples. Emery Blanchard: Murder is the worst of all crimes, Emery Blanchard: but to say that this particular case is the worst of the worst is simply not true. Emery Blanchard: The state chose the evidence they put forth to obtain their conviction, Emery Blanchard: yet they are not satisfied with what was presented in discordant to the jury, Emery Blanchard: and instead they waited until two days before the sentencing hearing and publicly filed Emery Blanchard: what can only be described as a character assassination, Emery Blanchard: filled with unsubstantiated claims from unknown and unsworn sources Emery Blanchard: who will never be cross-examined about these claims. Emery Blanchard: The timing of this filing was no coincidence and left no time for Emery Blanchard: our team to arrange rebuttal witnesses for evidence. Emery Blanchard: Furthermore, it appears that the sentencing memo was not Emery Blanchard: so subtle attempt to get into the public eye evidence they elected to hold back Emery Blanchard: from their case in chief and then were precluded from presenting Emery Blanchard: when Ms. Rochens exercised terrific amendment right to remain silent Emery Blanchard: and submitted the case to the jury without putting on any evidence. Emery Blanchard: To allow the state to use the sentencing hearing as a public platform to make Emery Blanchard: new unsworn allegations untested by cross-examination or sufficient investigation Emery Blanchard: would violate Ms. Rochens' right to due process and would be contrary Emery Blanchard: to the Utah Supreme Court's finding in State v. Leilseck Emery Blanchard: I don't know if I'm pronouncing that right, but I have the site if you want it, Emery Blanchard: which stated that stating that the due process clause of Article 1 Section 7 of the Utah Emery Blanchard: Constitution requires that a sentencing judge act on reasonably reliable and relevant Emery Blanchard: information and exercising discretion in fixing a sentence. Emery Blanchard: The state's memo should be stricken in its entirety and not considered by this court. Emery Blanchard: Not only are the claims made by the state in their sentencing memo unreliable and irrelevant, Emery Blanchard: much of what they argue is either misleading or outright false. Emery Blanchard: I'm not going to go into everything that we take issue with, but I do want to point out a couple of examples. Emery Blanchard: They state that DCFS supported a finding of emotional and physical abuse by Corrie against her oldest son. Emery Blanchard: What actually happened is that DCFS made an initial finding based solely on reports. Emery Blanchard: This is similar to a probable cause finding that then sends the matter to the juvenile court. Emery Blanchard: The court, however, did not find that Corrie had abused or neglected her children. Emery Blanchard: They found dependent, but no fault. Emery Blanchard: In other words, that the children needed intervention, but due to no fault of Corrie Richards. Emery Blanchard: Due only to the fact that she had been arrested. Emery Blanchard: They did not even find that she had acted negligently towards her children. Emery Blanchard: The state put forth at length what they believe Corrie's middle son, A.R., would have testified to had they been able to call in a rebuttal. Emery Blanchard: Although it is true that Ashton said these things three years after the death of his father and after conversations with Eric's family members, Emery Blanchard: this is very different than what he said to law enforcement immediately upon Corrie's arrest a year after Eric's death. Emery Blanchard: At that time his statements were completely consistent with Corrie's, that she had, that she, Corrie, had gone to sleep in his room the night his father died. Emery Blanchard: The state argues that Corrie's boys are afraid in part because she still maintains life insurance policies on them. Emery Blanchard: Corrie was of the belief that these policies were no longer in existence since she had not made any payments on them in over three years. Emery Blanchard: And in fact a letter was sent, or an email was sent from Brian Farkleton, who testified, to Ronnie Darden, as Ronnie is the owner on these policies, Emery Blanchard: that the, this was over a year ago, that the life insurance policies are elapsing and wanted to let them know if they chose to do anything about that, which they did not do anything about that. Emery Blanchard: So we only discovered yesterday, Corrie only discovered yesterday that at least two of these policies are still active as the payments have been automatically taken out of dividends. Emery Blanchard: So in other words, the policies have been paying for themselves. Emery Blanchard: These are policies that Eric and Corrie took out together in 2017. Emery Blanchard: However, now that Corrie knows that these are still active, she will cancel them. Emery Blanchard: Hopefully, in all sincerity, this will be one less thing for those boys to worry about. Emery Blanchard: Corrie never asked her family to report criminal activity or ask for criminal prosecutions against any of the Richens' family or against Cothee Wright. Emery Blanchard: She never asked family members to file bar complaints, and until yesterday, neither Corrie nor anyone from her team had ever heard anything about a dating profile being set up online in the name of a lead detective. Emery Blanchard: She did none of these things, and if they were done by others, it was not her request. Emery Blanchard: We are asking the court to discount any and all allegations in the sentencing memo that have not been previously raised in court in order to have been stricken from the record. Emery Blanchard: The court does have before it reasonable and reliable testimony from individuals who know Corrie or who have unique perspectives on the sentence of life without parole that may assist this court in discerning the appropriate and proportionate punishment in this case. Emery Blanchard: The testimony of these individuals revealed that Corrie is so much more than what she has been portrayed as in this case. Emery Blanchard: Everyone who was around her says she was a wonderful mother, just like Eric was a wonderful father. Emery Blanchard: The state argues that she shows no remorse. Emery Blanchard: Corrie has remorse and she has regrets about many things, and you're going to hear some of those when she speaks. Emery Blanchard: However, she cannot show remorse over something she did not do. Emery Blanchard: She maintains her innocence and has every right to do so. Emery Blanchard: Having said that, however, she stands before this court today convicted of the crimes charged and she fully understands that. Emery Blanchard: So sentence her on what she was convicted of. Emery Blanchard: Not what the prosecution says about her character. Emery Blanchard: As much as they think they know her, they do not. Emery Blanchard: They do not know Corrie Richards. Emery Blanchard: Like Alex said, you're saddened by this case. Emery Blanchard: You're saddened by the verdict. Emery Blanchard: I respect the court system so much. Emery Blanchard: I come from a family of judges and attorneys and was raised with the utmost respect for our justice system. Emery Blanchard: I disagree with the verdict, but I respect it. Emery Blanchard: I have to say, though, in all the years of practicing, which are now quite a few, Emery Blanchard: It's just the first time I've had a client convicted that I believe to be innocent. Emery Blanchard: It was much more painful than I anticipated, would have anticipated. Emery Blanchard: Over the last two years, our team has gotten to know Corrie. Emery Blanchard: Corrie has, is one of those clients, very few clients, and I've represented thousands of people. Emery Blanchard: Most of them you don't remember. Emery Blanchard: Many of them you don't like. Emery Blanchard: Many of them, some of them you feel are dangerous. Emery Blanchard: But Corrie is different. Emery Blanchard: Corrie, every time she calls us how we are. Emery Blanchard: There have been times when I've shared bits of my life with Corrie, particularly Emery Blanchard: having children that lost their father before age 10. Emery Blanchard: We've talked a lot about that and what that does to children in the best of circumstances. [02:49:10] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: I can't imagine. [02:49:11] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: I can't imagine. Emery Blanchard: I can't imagine had my boys not had me. Emery Blanchard: Because the pain and suffering and the long term effect that is had on them Emery Blanchard: will never, ever end. Emery Blanchard: But when I share something with Corrie, when I share that someone is ill, Emery Blanchard: or that someone is having a problem, sometimes I don't even remember. Emery Blanchard: I've said it and when she calls me she always asks, "How did that turn Emery Blanchard: You know, is your family member okay?" Emery Blanchard: Before we talk about her. Emery Blanchard: Every time. Emery Blanchard: The state is not only asking for life without the possibility of parole, Emery Blanchard: they're asking for consecutive sentences. Emery Blanchard: The sentences in this matter should run concurrent to one another. Emery Blanchard: Pursuant to the light of cases Strunk, Golly, and Smith, the sentencing Emery Blanchard: statute favors concurrent sentences. Emery Blanchard: And looking at the totality of the circumstances, imposing consecutive Emery Blanchard: sentence would constitute an abusive description. Emery Blanchard: In State v. Gray, the Utah Court of Appeals cited Golly and Strunk, holding Emery Blanchard: that the Board of Prisons ability to grant parole is an integrated component Emery Blanchard: of the rehabilitated needs factor that must be balanced with other required Emery Blanchard: factors. Emery Blanchard: Even though the statutory language has been modified since Strunk, Golly, Emery Blanchard: and Smith, the language still applies. Emery Blanchard: And the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals still looks to that language. Emery Blanchard: The Board should still be allowed to function and make the decision Emery Blanchard: in regarding the rehabilitative needs in this region. Emery Blanchard: Running sentences consecutive to a sentence of life without parole is senseless. Emery Blanchard: And if this Court imposes a sentence of 25 to life on the aggravated murder, Emery Blanchard: but runs the other charges consecutive, the effect will be the same. Emery Blanchard: She will likely never get the opportunity for parole. [02:50:58] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: I don't think that's true. Emery Blanchard: Have you run the initial guideline? Emery Blanchard: It's a genuine question. [02:51:02] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: Yes. [02:51:03] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: I think it only adds. [02:51:06] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: The guideline on the attempted murder is 192 months. [02:51:10] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: It only adds 41 months if we run a consecutive. [02:51:14] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: Before she's eligible. [02:51:16] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Right. Emery Blanchard: Yeah. [02:51:20] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: But, well, I'm going to come back to that. Emery Blanchard: Yeah. [02:51:24] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: I don't know. Emery Blanchard: If you're running the guideline differently. Emery Blanchard: I mean, no. [02:51:27] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: I'm not running the guidelines differently. Emery Blanchard: But the sentence is, well, I'm going to, I talked about this. [02:51:35] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: I understand your larger point, and I apologize for interrupting you. Emery Blanchard: That's okay. Emery Blanchard: But if you do have a different running of the guidelines, those forms are not obvious. Emery Blanchard: I'd appreciate it. [02:51:44] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: Well, I would say a sentence of 25 to life. Emery Blanchard: And then if she serves additional time. Emery Blanchard: Does not guarantee parole. Emery Blanchard: And I'm going to talk more about that. Emery Blanchard: And it's almost unheard of for someone to be paroled at their first parole hearing on these serious places. Emery Blanchard: And looking at the totality, there are mitigators. Emery Blanchard: Corey had no criminal history at the time of Emery's death. Emery Blanchard: She was involved in positive ways in her community. Emery Blanchard: She volunteered regularly. Emery Blanchard: She headed up a sub for Santa every year. Emery Blanchard: She was a friend, a daughter, and a mother, and excelled in these roles. Emery Blanchard: She educated herself. Emery Blanchard: She was involved in every aspect of her son's lives. Emery Blanchard: There is no reason to hold her in prison for life. Emery Blanchard: We asked this court to impose a sentence of 25 years to life. Emery Blanchard: When you put aside all of the media, all of the entries, and you look at the crime she is convicted of, Emery Blanchard: this is an appropriate sentence. Emery Blanchard: A sentence of 25 to life is not a sentence that guarantees the release of court origins. Emery Blanchard: It is not saying that she even should be released. Emery Blanchard: What it is saying is that the decision whether she should be released Emery Blanchard: is a decision for someone else to make on another day. Emery Blanchard: A day that will be, at a minimum, 25 to 30 years in the future. Emery Blanchard: A future that could look very different than today. Emery Blanchard: Although today is not a day for forgiveness, that day may come. Emery Blanchard: A sentence that allows for parole is a sentence that gives a pathway to forgiveness. Emery Blanchard: You heard from Emery Blanchard, the only person in this room that understands Emery Blanchard's voice has been through. Emery Blanchard: You heard how the day came when she missed her father. Emery Blanchard: She wanted her father in her life. Emery Blanchard: I know that she came to a place that she hoped to spend one more day outside of the prison walls with her father. Emery Blanchard: And that day didn't come. Emery Blanchard: He was now paroled. Emery Blanchard: And he died in prison. Emery Blanchard: I don't minimize what Corey's boys are saying today. Emery Blanchard: I understand it's contradictory to what other people are saying regarding Corey as a mother. Emery Blanchard: I don't know why they're saying these things, but what they think and feel today, they are allowed to think and feel those things. Emery Blanchard: They should be. Emery Blanchard: Their feelings are valid and it's okay. Emery Blanchard: And I think Corey will say this too, but she wants her boys to know it's okay. Emery Blanchard: People change. Emery Blanchard: All of us change. [02:54:23] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Corey will change. Emery Blanchard: Those little boys will change. [02:54:25] Speaker 3: Emery Blanchard: A sentence of 25 to life will not be easy time. Emery Blanchard: It will be hard time. Emery Blanchard: The first part of that sentence is generally served in maximum security for the first three to four years. Emery Blanchard: But if the day comes when her children want to see her face to face, a 25 to life sentence will make that easier for them. Emery Blanchard: If they, like Emery, decide someday they want a relationship with her, even one behind the walls of the prison, a 25 to life will make that possible. Emery Blanchard: And a sentence with the possibility of parole, like I said, does not mean she will be in parole. Emery Blanchard: It's very possible she will spend her life in prison. Emery Blanchard: And quite frankly, if her case does not come back on appeal and she is in prison and she maintains her innocence, it's all highly unlikely. Emery Blanchard: But the Board of Pardons is uniquely qualified to make that decision. Emery Blanchard: That is their job. Emery Blanchard: And it is a particularly important job in the most serious of convictions. Emery Blanchard: They will be the ones looking at a woman who will then be in her 60s or possibly 70s. Emery Blanchard: They will decide if she has been rehabilitated and if she is a danger to the community. Emery Blanchard: These are not decisions that can be made today. Emery Blanchard: We don't stand here today asking you to give her a second chance. Emery Blanchard: We ask you to let those best qualified to make that decision when the time comes. Emery Blanchard: When Cori's and Eric's boys are grown. Emery Blanchard: When they can tell the Board if they feel the same way that they do today. Emery Blanchard: You heard a letter read today from a woman who once stood in the shower. Emery Blanchard: A woman who once stood in the shoes of the Richens' family. Emery Blanchard: A sentencing, she wanted life without parole for her son's killer. Emery Blanchard: Now she does not. Emery Blanchard: She has changed. Emery Blanchard: Her views of prison have changed. Emery Blanchard: And her feelings towards the men that took her son's life has changed. Emery Blanchard: But a life without the possibility of parole, the sentence cannot be changed. Emery Blanchard: If Cori and Eric's boys someday change their mind, and it is too late to say something different than what they've said today, Emery Blanchard: This day will become one more day that haunts them. Emery Blanchard: If in 30 years they still do feel as they do today, they will have the opportunity to express those feelings. Emery Blanchard: But don't allow their statements at age 9, 12, and 13 become another tragedy, another trauma that they may end up suffering as adults. Emery Blanchard: A sentence that doesn't allow even the possibility of parole is a sentence that tells the world there is no hope. Emery Blanchard: There is no growth. Emery Blanchard: There is no change. Emery Blanchard: There is no room for forgiveness. Emery Blanchard: There is no room for love. Emery Blanchard: That we are all our worst act and will never be anything more. Emery Blanchard: And that is not the human experience. Emery Blanchard: In a world where humanity is waning, act with humanity. Emery Blanchard: In a world where hatred is encouraged, act with kindness. Emery Blanchard: In a world where forgiveness is seen as a weakness, act with compassion. Emery Blanchard: A sentence of 25 to life, with the other charges turned concurrent, reflects the seriousness of the suspense. Emery Blanchard: It takes into consideration the totality of the circumstances. Emery Blanchard: Further, it follows the recommendation of the pre-sentence report. Emery Blanchard: And it is the appropriate sentence. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [02:57:54] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: It is 12:55. Emery Blanchard: We are going to take a break until 1:25 to make sure Ms. Richens gets an opportunity to use the restroom and you need something. Emery Blanchard: Mr. Blanchard, do you look like you have something to say? [02:58:17] Speaker 2: Emery Blanchard: Your Honor, does the court want to hear from the state one last time before [02:58:24] Speaker 1: the election. Emery Blanchard: I do not. Emery Blanchard: I have this firmly in hand. Emery Blanchard: I would like to make it clear in case there was any ambiguity that the court has considered and is denying defendant's request to strike portions of the state's sentencing [02:58:39] Speaker ?: member in. Emery Blanchard: Yes, sir. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: The court will be in recess until 1:25. Emery Blanchard: Let's make sure that Ms. Richens gets something to use. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [02:58:54] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: We're off the record. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [02:59:01] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [02:59:52] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:11] Speaker 5: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:13] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:24] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:47] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:50] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:00:51] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:01:52] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:01:53] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:13] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:14] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:23] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:24] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:43] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:54] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:02:55] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:14] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:15] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:17] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:22] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:51] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:52] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:58] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:03:59] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:14] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:18] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:21] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:22] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:43] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:46] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:49] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:50] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:04:54] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:26] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:27] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:52] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:05:55] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:06:30] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. [03:06:41] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: Thank you. Emery Blanchard: They do not define you. Emery Blanchard: And don't ever let other people make you think that they do. Emery Blanchard: We are not defined by our best or our worst moments. Emery Blanchard: We fall somewhere in the middle. Emery Blanchard: Ever evolving. Emery Blanchard: And you boys are ever evolving. Emery Blanchard: Secrets diminish self-respect. Emery Blanchard: They lose trust. Emery Blanchard: They make us lose ourselves. Emery Blanchard: I fell in love with someone who wasn't your dad. Emery Blanchard: Your dad fell in love with someone who wasn't me. Emery Blanchard: I did things behind your dad's back. Emery Blanchard: He did things behind mine. Emery Blanchard: Don't keep secrets. Emery Blanchard: Always put your spouse first. Emery Blanchard: Your dad and I didn't always do this. Emery Blanchard: But don't be like us in that aspect. Emery Blanchard: We made mistakes that I know I regret. Emery Blanchard: And I'm sure if you were here today, Emery Blanchard: He would say that there are a few things he regrets as well. Emery Blanchard: Marriage is hard. Emery Blanchard: Marriage takes work. Emery Blanchard: Marriage takes love. Emery Blanchard: Big love. Emery Blanchard: Deep love. Emery Blanchard: And you may think about divorce, Emery Blanchard: And you will have fights. Emery Blanchard: But then you will make up. Emery Blanchard: And you will forgive each other. Emery Blanchard: Because when your love is enough, Emery Blanchard: Your love keeps you together. Emery Blanchard: Your love is all you need to ignore the noise. Emery Blanchard: Your love never fails. Emery Blanchard: Sometimes your dad would want to throw in the towel on our marriage. Emery Blanchard: Or I would want to throw in the towel on our marriage. Emery Blanchard: But we never did. Emery Blanchard: We always found our way back to each other. Emery Blanchard: I would pick up his towel, or he would pick up mine. Emery Blanchard: We'd hand them back to each other and start again. Emery Blanchard: Because our love never failed. Emery Blanchard: We stopped keeping track of each other's wrongdoings. Emery Blanchard: And we forgave. Emery Blanchard: And we moved on. Emery Blanchard: And we loved. Emery Blanchard: And if I had to relive all of those hard days all over again, Emery Blanchard: I would do it without question. Emery Blanchard: You're just sitting there. Emery Blanchard: Your dad and I were a lot of things. Emery Blanchard: A mess of sorts sometimes. Emery Blanchard: But we were this crazy, beautiful mess that made us a family. Emery Blanchard: Because our love was enough. Emery Blanchard: Our hard days never outweighed our good days. Emery Blanchard: Our weak moments never outweighed our most memorable happy days. Emery Blanchard: We always laughed more than we cried. Emery Blanchard: We failed at some things. Emery Blanchard: But we never failed at loving you boys. Emery Blanchard: Our love was enough to make our house a home. Emery Blanchard: Our love was enough to stay together to raise you boys. Emery Blanchard: Our love was enough to forgive each other when others said that we shouldn't. Emery Blanchard: To do things for each other others may disagree with. Emery Blanchard: Our love was enough to protect each other even though it may cost us everything. Emery Blanchard: Love can make you lose yourself. Emery Blanchard: Sometimes it makes you do things you know you shouldn't, but knowing it's not wrong at the same time. Emery Blanchard: Because your spouse is your person. Emery Blanchard: Your love is enough. Emery Blanchard: One day you will meet someone and fall in love and understand that just your love is enough. Emery Blanchard: Enough to withstand everything else. Emery Blanchard: The noise of the world, the obstacles, the trials of marriage, the heartache, bad choices, forgiveness. Emery Blanchard: You will understand your love is enough and your love never fails. Emery Blanchard: Don't worry about what others think about your relationship. Emery Blanchard: Don't worry if they would do things differently. Emery Blanchard: You just love and you love big and you love deep and you protect your love. Emery Blanchard: Your dad and I didn't have it all together. Emery Blanchard: Together we really did have it all because we had you three. Emery Blanchard: Don't let anyone choose the direction of your life by their opinions and their judgments. Emery Blanchard: Being able to hold yourself together in the worst of situations doesn't make you emotionless. Emery Blanchard: Separating personal and business life and emotions doesn't make you unreasonable. Emery Blanchard: Resentment can get the best of others. Don't let it get the best of you. Emery Blanchard: People will always have a lot to say about lives they've never lived. Emery Blanchard: Live your life the way you choose to live in. Emery Blanchard: Just be safe and be healthy and be happy. That's all that matters. Emery Blanchard: Sometimes people will want you to believe that life is simply black and white. Emery Blanchard: The situations are black and white, but they're not. Emery Blanchard: Life, situations, they are full of color. At the very least, shades of gray. Emery Blanchard: Always question the color. Even if you're only questioning the gray areas. Emery Blanchard: Keep an open mind. Question situations and stay curious. Emery Blanchard: You will have some people in your life tell you how their love for you is unconditional. Emery Blanchard: But once your most private life has been revealed, you quickly find out just how conditional their love actually was. Emery Blanchard: Choose the people you hold close to your heart wisely. Emery Blanchard: And always be the friend that walks into somebody's life when everyone else chooses to walk out. Emery Blanchard: Always remember the only people you owe your loyalty to are those people who never made you question theirs. Emery Blanchard: Every day you wake up, you get a second chance at life. Emery Blanchard: To do whatever you want. Be whoever you want. To succeed in all your dreams. Emery Blanchard: Take the day and run with it. It's a blessing. Don't take it for granted. Emery Blanchard: Sometimes you will have hard days when all you want to do is count all the ways things are going wrong or have gone wrong in your life. Emery Blanchard: In that moment, stop. Take a minute. Take a step back. Take a breath. Emery Blanchard: And switch your thinking to count all the ways that it has gone right. Emery Blanchard: All the good that has come to you boys. Emery Blanchard: All the grace, the blessings, and the love. Emery Blanchard: Remember that anyone can give up on something. That's the easy way out. Emery Blanchard: True strength comes when everyone is expecting you to fall apart, but you hold it together. Emery Blanchard: Persevering through the hardest of times. Emery Blanchard: Always persevere. Emery Blanchard: Always prove them wrong. Emery Blanchard: Because you boys don't give up. Emery Blanchard: And you boys will never quit. Emery Blanchard: There's always going to be someone out there ready to tear you down. Emery Blanchard: Misrepresent you. Emery Blanchard: Lie about you. Emery Blanchard: Tell half-truths. Emery Blanchard: And judge you. Emery Blanchard: They will judge you on decisions you do or don't make. Emery Blanchard: What you did or didn't do. Emery Blanchard: What you did or didn't say. Emery Blanchard: They will take out of context and twist your words. Emery Blanchard: They will judge you on your emotions or the way you grieve. Emery Blanchard: You may show too much emotion. Emery Blanchard: You may not show enough. Emery Blanchard: They will tell you you're not grieving correctly. Emery Blanchard: You're too angry. Emery Blanchard: You're too sad. Emery Blanchard: You're holding it together too well or not well enough. Emery Blanchard: Or maybe you're too ambitious. Emery Blanchard: They will judge you on your demeanor. Emery Blanchard: If you cry, if you don't cry, if you don't do anything at all. Emery Blanchard: And all of this will get misinterpreted into something that it's not, Emery Blanchard: formed by the opinions of who's ever creating it. Emery Blanchard: And then silence is also too often misinterpreted and misjudged. Emery Blanchard: But when people behave that way, it has much more to do with them personally Emery Blanchard: than it does you. Emery Blanchard: Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Emery Blanchard: It doesn't make it true. Emery Blanchard: Remember who you are and what you stand for. Emery Blanchard: The truth. Emery Blanchard: And ignore the noise. Emery Blanchard: Ignore their noise. Emery Blanchard: Ignore their egos, their entitlement, and their biased judgment. Emery Blanchard: Those who abuse the power and the positions they hold will have a higher power Emery Blanchard: to report to one day. Emery Blanchard: And that higher power holds the final truth. Emery Blanchard: Their final truth. Emery Blanchard: Don't ever let someone tell you how to show emotion. Emery Blanchard: How you're supposed to react to any given situation. Emery Blanchard: Don't care what others think about you, what others say about you. Emery Blanchard: Just let them talk. Emery Blanchard: Just be you. Emery Blanchard: Be yourself. Emery Blanchard: Be authentic. Emery Blanchard: Be genuine. Emery Blanchard: Because those who truly know you, who truly love you, is all you need. Emery Blanchard: Forgive those who turn their back on you, but never forget. Emery Blanchard: Don't hold hate in your heart toward others. Emery Blanchard: It only brings you down more than it does them. Emery Blanchard: Apologize when you're wrong, even if that apology is long overdue. Emery Blanchard: You can't change what you can't change, and you can't change the past. Emery Blanchard: But you can take accountability when you mess up. Emery Blanchard: Admit when you make a mistake, even when it's embarrassing or humiliating. Emery Blanchard: Even when it can ruin relationships, careers, or your integrity. Emery Blanchard: Be honest with yourself and those you need to. Emery Blanchard: But never apologize for something you didn't do. Emery Blanchard: Never admit to something you didn't do. Emery Blanchard: And never beg for mercy for something you didn't do. Emery Blanchard: Don't take the easy way out. Emery Blanchard: Always stand up for what's right, even if you find yourself standing alone Emery Blanchard: Or with a small group of people that love you. Emery Blanchard: Believe in yourself and be brave. Emery Blanchard: Never give up on your fighting, no matter how long it takes. Emery Blanchard: Months, even years. Emery Blanchard: Never give up on truth, justice, and the fight of corruption. Emery Blanchard: When something is broken, fix it. Emery Blanchard: When something doesn't make sense, question it. Emery Blanchard: If money is paying for it, follow the money. Emery Blanchard: Your brothers are your best friends. Emery Blanchard: Your dad and I raised you boys that if you cared about nothing else in this world, you care about each other. Emery Blanchard: Your brothers will always be there for you, they will always be your brothers. Emery Blanchard: You love them, you protect them, you take care of each other. Emery Blanchard: You support each other, you help each other, and you trust one another. Emery Blanchard: You be loyal to one another, and you keep each other safe and healthy and happy. Emery Blanchard: And you stay together, no matter what. Emery Blanchard: You have each other's backs. Emery Blanchard: Be patient with one another. Emery Blanchard: Don't keep track of wrongdoings, let them go. Emery Blanchard: Forgive. Emery Blanchard: Move on. Emery Blanchard: Show compassion. Emery Blanchard: Empathy toward each other. Emery Blanchard: And never go a date without telling one another you love each other. Emery Blanchard: Because you are never too old or too cool or too busy to love each other. Emery Blanchard: Don't ever settle for just good. Emery Blanchard: Go for great. Emery Blanchard: In school. Emery Blanchard: In your career. [03:19:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: In hunting. [03:19:43] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: In fishing. [03:19:44] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: In your relationships. [03:19:45] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: In your goals exceed expectations. Emery Blanchard: Be like your dad. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:19:50] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:19:51] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:19:53] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:00] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:02] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:04] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be charitable. Emery Blanchard: Stay humble. Emery Blanchard: Give when you have too much. [03:20:08] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Give more than you take. Emery Blanchard: Help when others are in need. Emery Blanchard: Give more than you take. Emery Blanchard: Help when others are in need. Emery Blanchard: Give more than you take. Emery Blanchard: Help when others are in need. Emery Blanchard: Serve your community. Emery Blanchard: Be like your dad. Emery Blanchard: Never stop learning through education, through people, through travel, culture, and other people. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:27] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:29] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:31] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:33] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:34] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:38] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:54] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:57] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:20:59] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:19] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:20] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:22] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:25] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:26] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:41] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:44] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:46] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:52] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:57] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:21:58] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:12] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:14] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:16] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:21] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:23] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:24] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:30] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:41] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:43] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:50] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:22:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:23:11] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:23:23] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:23:29] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:23:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:00] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:18] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:19] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:45] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:46] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:49] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:24:57] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:00] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:17] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:18] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:47] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:50] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:56] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:58] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:25:59] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:16] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:18] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:20] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:22] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:27] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:28] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:46] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:48] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:50] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:51] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:54] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:57] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:26:59] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:14] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:15] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:20] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:23] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:24] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:25] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:27] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:29] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:46] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:47] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:52] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:27:54] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:00] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:19] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:21] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:26] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:28] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:49] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:28:51] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:15] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:16] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:21] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:22] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:25] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:26] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:41] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:43] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:50] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:29:59] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:00] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:13] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:20] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:21] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:30:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:00] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:15] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:16] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:22] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:25] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:29] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:44] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:51] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:31:52] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:32:20] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:32:21] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:32:46] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:32:47] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:32:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:33:11] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:33:13] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:33:14] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:33:19] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:33:24] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. 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[03:34:14] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:34:17] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:34:19] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:34:24] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:34:25] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:34:29] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:11] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:26] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:27] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:43] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:44] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:50] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:51] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:58] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:35:59] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:22] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:23] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:41] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:42] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:45] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:53] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:56] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:36:59] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:00] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:15] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:17] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:44] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:37:53] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:12] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:16] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:20] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:22] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:26] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:29] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:30] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:41] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:43] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:51] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:52] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:56] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:38:57] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:00] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:18] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:19] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:21] Speaker 17: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:28] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:30] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:43] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:48] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:49] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:56] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:39:57] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:40:11] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:40:12] Speaker 10: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:40:18] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:40:41] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. 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Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:42:43] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:42:44] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:42:55] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:42:56] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:43:42] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:43:43] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:43:49] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. [03:43:58] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: Be generous. Emery Blanchard: By the time that Ms. Richens has spent in custody, and the current practices Emery Blanchard: of the Board of Pardons and Parole, Ms. Richens would likely serve approximately Emery Blanchard: 30 years in the Utah State Prison before receiving her first parole hearing. Emery Blanchard: By that time, she would be 66 years old. Emery Blanchard: Under a sentence of life in prison without parole, Ms. Richens would be [03:44:34] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: imprisoned for the rest of her natural life. Emery Blanchard: Unless the Board of Pardons and Parole determines by clear and convincing [03:44:41] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: evidence at some future point that she is permanently incapable of being Emery Blanchard: a threat to the safety of society, at which time the Board would have Emery Blanchard: the authority to release her. Emery Blanchard: Under either scenario, Ms. Richens will be incapacitated, meaning structurally Emery Blanchard: prevented from harming anyone outside the Utah State Prison System Emery Blanchard: for at least the next three decades, and perhaps much longer. Emery Blanchard: But the potential impact on the survivors of the tragedy created by Corey Richens, Emery Blanchard: most importantly, Eric Richens' three sons, is more difficult to predict. Emery Blanchard: On one hand, if the court sentences Ms. Richens to life without parole, [03:45:30] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: one or more of those young men may come to resent that the court eliminated [03:45:36] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: any opportunity they might have in the future, decades into the future, Emery Blanchard: to express an opinion as adults with substantial life experience Emery Blanchard: about whether their mother should, for example, be allowed to die with dignity. Emery Blanchard: On the other hand, if the court sentences Ms. Richens to 25 to life, Emery Blanchard: one or more of those young men may spend the next 30 years questioning Emery Blanchard: why the court failed to protect them from the prospect of the person who murdered their father Emery Blanchard: being released from prison at some time in the distant future, Emery Blanchard: perhaps when they have families and children of their own. Emery Blanchard: The court's contemplation of how those young men may come to feel about today's decision Emery Blanchard: some 30 years from now comes from a place of genuine concern for them Emery Blanchard: and humility regarding the court's inability to predict the future. Emery Blanchard: Sitting here today, it is simply not possible for anyone, not even those young men, Emery Blanchard: to know how their view of this case may evolve over the next several decades. Emery Blanchard: My hope is that every person affected by Eric Richens' death will, over time, Emery Blanchard: find their way to a state of peace. Emery Blanchard: As for today, the court's duty is to make a decision. [03:47:12] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: A weighty, long-lasting decision based on the best information available today. Emery Blanchard: And the bottom line is this: [03:47:24] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: Corey Richens was convicted unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt of attempting to murder Eric Richens, Emery Blanchard: her husband and the father of their three children. Emery Blanchard: And then, having failed in her first effort of spending the next 17 days, Emery Blanchard: not changing course, but doubling down, preparing to try again, and ultimately completing the act Emery Blanchard: through the administration of poison. Emery Blanchard: And for what? Emery Blanchard: Money. Emery Blanchard: All for pecuniary gain. Emery Blanchard: A person of convicted. Emery Blanchard: Of committing that sequence of acts. [03:48:12] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: In that way. [03:48:14] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: And for that reason. Emery Blanchard: And who causes the absolute tragedy. Emery Blanchard: That has befallen Eric Richens sons and family. Emery Blanchard: A person convicted of those things is simply too dangerous to ever be free. Emery Blanchard: Accordingly, Ms. Richens, based on your conviction on count one. Emery Blanchard: First degree felony aggravated murder. Emery Blanchard: The court hereby sentences you to life without parole. Emery Blanchard: You have the right to an appeal. Emery Blanchard: You must file a notice of appeal within 30 days. Emery Blanchard: You have the right to be represented by counsel on appeal. Emery Blanchard: Mr. Bloodworth, anything further? Mr. No, no. Emery Blanchard: Ms. Lewis, Ms. Nestor. [03:49:01] Speaker 4: Emery Blanchard: Your Honor, we anticipate filing a motion for a new trial and would like a date set. Emery Blanchard: We have a substantial record in this case. Emery Blanchard: We will file a notice of appeal of the conviction in the sentence. Emery Blanchard: And ask that everything be state pending the motion for new trial as we're entitled to do under Rule 4b. Emery Blanchard: Excuse me. Emery Blanchard: But we think we need sufficient time to file a motion for new trial based on the substantial record that exists in this case. Emery Blanchard: Longer than the typical 14 days. Emery Blanchard: Because this is not only the trial itself, but the years of litigation and motion practice that preceded the trial. Emery Blanchard: We were hoping that we could get an agreed deadline of 90 days to file a motion for new trial. Emery Blanchard: Mainly because for half of June, I'm out of the country and for half of July, and this list is out of the country. Emery Blanchard: Normally we would ask for 60, but there's going to be a month in there where both of us aren't available. Emery Blanchard: So we're asking for 90 days. Emery Blanchard: Alright, Mr. Blanchard. Emery Blanchard: Your honor, this state objects. Emery Blanchard: The rule provides for 14 days. [03:50:01] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: You can't imagine this is a decision that was made today, I think. [03:50:02] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: The council has had the last 53 days to prepare the motion, 14 days pursuant to the rule. [03:50:05] Speaker 2: Emery Blanchard: I appreciate that it's a lengthy record in this case, but the issues available for the trial are fairly narrow. Emery Blanchard: The state will be the first time. Emery Blanchard: It will be the second time. Emery Blanchard: So we're asking for 90 days. Emery Blanchard: Okay, Mr. Blanchard: Okay, Mr. Blanchard: Mr. Blanchard: Your honor, this state objects. Emery Blanchard: There is one other thing, your honor, on that as to why we need the extra time. [03:50:37] Speaker 4: Emery Blanchard: So we have asked the county to retain an expert to assist to a declaration attached to our motion for new trial. Emery Blanchard: And it's going to require us to go before a separate entity to decide whether that funding is approved. Emery Blanchard: And that just takes time. Emery Blanchard: So that's another issue we need. [03:51:02] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: I feel like there's more that I need to know in order to make this decision. Emery Blanchard: And so I can also appreciate why the defendant is concerned about the 14-day deadline so they do not lose that opportunity. Emery Blanchard: Sitting here today with very little information and the state having very little opportunity to respond to this idea, Emery Blanchard: I'll extend your deadline to 28 days. Emery Blanchard: But within that time, if you want to file a motion to extend it, Ms. Nestor, with more detail, Emery Blanchard: you have 14 days to file that motion. [03:51:40] Speaker 2: Emery Blanchard: Now to pass the clarification. [03:51:50] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: 14 days from now they have an opportunity to have a deadline to file a motion to extend the 28-day deadline. Emery Blanchard: If they don't, it's 28 days. Emery Blanchard: Gotcha. Emery Blanchard: I acknowledge that that 28-day deadline may cause practical difficulties for the state's team, and if I need to extend the state's response deadline, I will certainly give that fair consideration. [03:52:14] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: Of course. Emery Blanchard: Ms. Nestor, Ms. Lewis, anything else today? [03:52:17] Speaker 1: Emery Blanchard: No, sir. Emery Blanchard: Ms. Rations, you are hereby committed to the Utah State Prison Emery Blanchard: and remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections. Emery Blanchard: Ms. Court is in recess. Emery Blanchard: Please follow the deputy's instructions. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: We're off the record. [03:52:34] Speaker ?: Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights. Emery Blanchard: All rights.