Paul Flores attends first court visit since brutal attack
September 28, 2023
By KAREN VELIE
Paul Flores, the man convicted of murdering a Cal Poly coed, was in court on Thursday for the first time since an inmate stabbed him in the neck last month. There were no visible injuries on the inmate, who was wearing a white T-shirt and white prison garb.
San Luis Obispo based attorney Harold Mesick asked the court to allow him to represent Paul Flores regarding restitution. During the hearing, both Paul Flores and his father Ruben Flores agreed to waive any conflicts of interest.
Paul Flores has a second hearing set for Nov. 16. A restitution hearing will likely occur next year.
In Oct. 2022, a Monterey County jury found Paul Flores guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Kristin Smart in 1996. A second jury determined Ruben Flores, his father, was not guilty of helping to dispose of Smart’s body.
During the 2022 trial, Mesick represented Ruben Flores. On Thursday, Paul Flores waived a possible conflict of interest related to Mesick representing his father.
During the restitution hearing, the court will determined how much the defendant must pay to compensate Smart’s family. Even though Paul Flores has no assets, approximately 50% of any prison commissary funds will be used for restitution.
Attorney Robert Sanger filed a notice of appeal in April, before stepping down as Paul Flores’ attorney of record. The state then appointed attorney Solomon Wollack to represent Flores in the appeal process.
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