Arroyo Grande Village adorned with purple ribbons as Kristin Smart verdicts near
Arroyo Grande went purple ahead of the verdicts in the Kristin Smart murder trial.
Up and down West Branch Street in the Village, purple plastic ribbons adorned nearly every lamp post, street sign and pole in honor of Smart, whose murder trial will reach its conclusion in the coming days.
The ribbons were put out by the newly founded Arroyo Grande Village Association, deputy city clerk and communications coordinator Sarah Lansburgh said.
The office of James R. Murphy Jr. and John D. Barron, A Law Corporation, also decorated their front yard sign featuring Smart with an arch of purple balloons.
The color purple has been associated with Smart’s case in recent years — it was her favorite color, and the color was a point of contention in the case last year when defense attorney Robert Sanger attempted to get the prosecuting attorney in the case removed for wearing purple ties in the courtroom.
Paul Flores is on trial for allegedly killing Smart in 1996, while his father, Ruben Flores is alleged to have helped his son conceal the crime.
Closing statements in Smart’s murder trial concluded Wednesday, and the juries are in deliberation at the Monterey County Courthouse in Salinas.
Court will be dark Monday to Wednesday before jurors resume their discussions on Thursday.
This story was originally published October 8, 2022 at 10:00 AM.
