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After no legal proceedings On Tuesday, due to a jury problem, the trial of Paul and Ruben Flores, who are charged in connection with the disappearance of Cal Poly student Christine Smart, continued on Wednesday.
After another deputy was sworn in to serve on the Paul Flores jury, a 1996 Cal Poly police detective took the stand. He was one of the first law enforcement officials to interview Paul after Christine Smart disappeared.
Lawrence Kennedy testified that he interviewed Paul around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 1996. The audio of that interview was played in court on Wednesday.
Deia Aton/ABC
In the recording, Kennedy asks Paul how he got to the party on Friday, May 24, 1996. Paul says he planned to see his sister, who was living off campus with her fiancé at the time, but when he saw people having a party at a residence, on which he had attended a party a few months ago, he went inside.
Paul said he had been drinking in the dorm before he left and was “feeling the effects” of the alcohol. Kennedy and another detective asked how Paul ended up with Christine that night. Paul said he wasn’t sure, but he said he and a girl called “Roxy” left the party at the same time.
As they walked together, Paul said Roxy was fine and walking on her own. Paul said he gave her two hugs because she was cold, but says he doesn’t remember what they talked about.
Deia Aton/ABC
Later in the interview with Detective Kennedy, Paul said he did not hug her or physically help her.
During the interview, Kennedy noticed that Paul had scabs on his knees and a bruised eye and asked him about it. Paul said he suffered a bruised eye while playing basketball with his friend Jeremy and two other boys. Paul also added that his friend Javier saw him on Saturday without a bruised eye.
During the interview, Kennedy is heard asking Paul several times if everything he is saying is the truth. Paul always answered that it was.
Reuben’s attorney, Harold Mezik, questioned Kennedy about calls received about possible sightings of Christine in the months since she disappeared, including one in Cayucos and several from Taco Bell restaurants scattered around the state.
Kennedy said none of the calls turned out to be credible.
On Wednesday afternoon, Robert Cudworth, a police officer at California Poly in 1996, took the stand and fielded questions about interviews he conducted on the case in the summer of 1996.
The last person called to testify Wednesday was Richard Neufeld, who worked as a San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s detective in 1996. He was answering questions about the forensic search of Paul’s dorm room.
The trial is scheduled to continue Thursday morning in Monterey County, but only the jury and Paul’s deputies will be present. Ruben’s Jury will have the day off.
While Paul and Ruben Flores are on trial at the time, they each have separate juries that will hand down separate sentences. Sometimes a jury can be removed from the courtroom if the evidence or testimony presented is admissible for only one defendant.
Although Christine’s body was never found, she was declared legally dead in 2002.
Paul faces a murder charge. Ruben is accused of complicity after the fact, accused of helping to cover up the crime.
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