Richardson was suspended after his arrest, and then fired in January, while disappearing from public life.
He spent much of his time in a darkened bedroom, his wife said, and realized the gravity of his situation. He faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.
“This is serious and he’s always been a person that instead of crying he finds a way to laugh,” Erin Richardson told Stadium. “But now this is forcing him to say, ‘You know what? This is real life. I can’t laugh my way out of this one. I’m gonna have to face this and I’m going to have to deal with it.’
“But he knows he has his family. And we are going to get through this if we gotta die trying. There’s no giving up.”
Richardson’s attorney, Craig Mordock, said he’s remained in regular contact with Richardson. In June, Mordock flew from his Louisiana home to visit Richardson in Tucson.
“We’re looking forward to clearing his name,” Mordock said Wednesday. “At the end of the day, nothing has really changed since Sept. 26, 2017. Book is not guilty of any crime.”
