Jury selection in the Kristin Smart murder trial is scheduled to start on Monday at the Monterey County Courthouse in Salinas, Ca., reports KSBW. The trial of accused killer Paul Flores and his father, Ruben, was moved to Monterey County after a judge ruled the father and son could not get a fair trial in San Luis Obispo County. Thirty news outlets have requested courtroom access. No video cameras will be allowed inside the Salinas courtroom, only still cameras. The trial is expected to last through October.
Paul Flores and Ruben Flores are receiving separate trials, meaning two juries will be selected. Each jury will have eight alternates, so in total 40 people will be selected. Judge Jennifer O'Keefe, a former public defender, will oversee the trials. Prosecutors have accused Flores of killing Smart while trying to rape her in his dorm room. Flores was allegedly the last person seen with Smart on May 25, 1996 before she was reported missing. Witnesses, Flores was seen walking Smart to her dorm room at Cal Poly. Ruben Flores, 80, is accused of helping his son dispose of the victim's body. More than 25 years later, Smart's remains have not been found. In 2002, she was declared legally dead.
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