Скачать или смотреть Defense Says Estate Lawyer Told 'A New Widow That She's Also About To Be Homeless'

Kristal Bowman-Carter is an attorney in Park City, Utah, who helped Eric Richins plan his estate, including placing his home in a trust.

She testified in Kouri Richins' murder trial on Wednesday (March 4, day 8) about Kouri being "livid" over the arrangement during a phone call after Eric died of a fentanyl overdose on March 4, 2022. You can watch her direct-examination here:    • Planner Says 'Livid' Kouri Richins Called ...  

Richins' lawyer Kathy Nester cross-examined her.

01:16 "So in your durable power of attorney, you mentioned revoking on previous attorney, powers of attorney, correct?"
"That's not what I was getting at, but that's correct."
"But this particular document never got signed or filed or anything?"
"No, another revocation got signed, apart from the durable power of attorney that he signed."

02:11 "I'm trying to not use lawyer words. I'm trying to use, like normal words, just so to make sure we're clear. So revoke just means we can't use it anymore, right?"
"Right."

02:42 "Anybody can revoke a power of attorney anytime they want, right?"
"Correct."
"But he hadn't done that up until now, till he saw you in 2020?"
"That is my understanding."

03:22 Police interview: "Do you recall telling them that it stuck out in your mind how kind Eric was about ouri using that power of attorney in a way that he didn't like, right?"

04:18 "She had misused it to take $250,000 out in his name, and he did not like that."
"Totally fair."

04:27 "And isn't it also true that it was your understanding that Kouri's business acumen our business skills were less than fantastic because she was young and inexperienced?"
"I have no personal knowledge about Kouri's business acumen and skills."

06:15 "So for example, the furniture in the living room. Do you know whether Kouri purchased it with her money, or Eric purchased it with his money, or it was joint money. Do you even know?"
"No. How could I know?"

08:46 "The language in here states that the intent of the trust is to provide for both Mrs. Richins and the children throughout their lifetime, right?"
"Right?"

09:43 "Were you aware at that time that he was consulting a divorce attorney?"
"Yes."
"So when you previously said, 'it's very unusual to not put your spouse as a trustee if the individual was... considering divorce', that wouldn't be unusual to put someone other than your spouse. Would it?"
"No, that wouldn't be unusual."

10:08 "And was there a time where you accidentally did notify Kouri of something?"
"Yes."
"Please explain that."

10:53 "And just talking about that conversation you had with Kouri. So this is less than 48 hours after her husband has died, right?"
"Give or take, yes."
"And your purpose of your conversation, was that at Katie Benson-Richins' request?"
"No, it was the police's request."

11:11 "And the what you told her before she got very, very upset, was the house that you live in is not yours?"
"I told her that she did not have title to the house."

11:29 "Okay, so basically, you're telling a new widow that she's also about to be homeless."
"No, not at all. That's ridiculous."

14:51 "As long as he's alive, I believe you said that he could do whatever he wanted with any of the money that was assigned into the trust, right?"
"Yeah."

16:08 "She's the one who will decide from the moment he dies forward, whether, if how much Kouri gets any of Eric's money."
"Yes, that's what Eric wanted."
"And if, hypothetically, Kouri Richins knew about the existence of the trust, she would know that as well?"
"I don't know what Kouri would know from reading the trust."

17:22 "Did you ever advise Katie in her role as trustee since you drafted the trust papers, did you ever give her any explanation about her duties or talk to her about what she could and couldn't do?"
"That's a attorney-client privilege."

18:27 "If Kouri had asked Katie after Eric's death, can you please pay the mortgage for the next year out of the trust that that request would have gone through the probate, right?"
"No."
"Okay, so how would it have gone?"
"Katie was the trustee of the trust that is not subject to probate."

21:16 "Did you go to the funeral?"
"No, I didn't."
"Are you still close with his sister?"
"No, I've never been close with his sister."
"Okay, well, you were her lawyer."
"That doesn't mean I'm close to her. It was a professional relationship."

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