With a jury already deliberating whether to find Paul Flores guilty of the 1996 murder of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Kristin Smart, a second jury on Wednesday began considering the fate of his father, who is charged as an accessory to the crime.
Ruben Flores' attorney, Harold Mesick, told jurors the evidence shows 19-year-old Smart was "not happy" at Cal Poly and may still be alive.
Flores, 81, is being tried along with his 45-year-old son. The case was moved by a San Luis Obispo County judge more than 100 miles north to Salinas to ensure fair legal proceedings. Two juries have heard evidence simultaneously over 11 weeks. One is deliberating Paul Flores' fate. The other heard closing arguments Wednesday in the case against Ruben Flores.
