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Paul Flores attends first court visit since brutal attack

September 28, 2023

Paul Flores

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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It’s a real slap in the face to get a measly little restitution check from the county or state when the amount is less than what it it cost to process and mail it. I would dread opening that mail.

No amount of money could ever replace a child.


18

Restitution is a joke. Prison jobs pay 50 cents or a dollar an hour, and that’s if an inmate can get a job. But since Paul Flores will probably inherit his parents’ home or anything else in their estate. perhaps this could go toward restitution when they pass away. He deprived the Smart family of their daughter. Why should he be rewarded with a windfall inheritance?


19

One would think there is some sort of lien the Smarts could put on the estate so that before Paul recevied anything the restitution is paid, but of course Pauls lawyers are probably also in line with their hands out so the estate probably wont have enough to cover all debts.


3

The point is not to get a measly restitution check from the state but to cut into Son of Susan’s commissary money.


1

Measure for Meaure. Flores received partial payback for what he did to Kristin Smart. It would be great if Flores (or his dad) disclosed the location of Kristin Smart’s body.


36