Paul Flores Wants to Overturn Kristin Smart Verdict; AG Calls Effort ‘Meritless’

Paul Flores Wants to Overturn Kristin Smart Verdict; AG Calls Effort ‘Meritless’

Paul Flores’ attempt to overturn or reduce his conviction for the murder of Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart is full of “meritless claims,” the California Attorney General’s Office argued in a new court filing. Flores filed his appellate brief in October — two years after his conviction for the 1996 murder. He argued that Monterey County Superior Court Judge Jennifer O’Keefe abused her discretion in multiple instances, including not excusing a ju…

Prosecutors find convicted murderer Paul Flores' appeal meritless

By KAREN VELIE Paul Flores, the former Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student who was convicted in the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart, last fall appealed his conviction claiming judicial error. State prosecutors responded on April 14 with a brief that calls the appeal meritless. In 2022, a jury found that Flores murdered Smart during […]