SIMI VALLEY : Court Closed in Child-Slaying Case
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The Ventura County Superior Court judge presiding over the case of a man charged with slaying an 8-year-old boy ordered his courtroom closed to the public Thursday.
Behind closed doors, attorneys discussed a possible conflict of interest with the public defender’s office representing Gregory Scott Smith.
Judge Steven Z. Perren’s order cleared the courtroom of all but the attorneys, himself and a court stenographer.
Smith, 23, of Canoga Park was scheduled to be tried Jan. 8 on charges of murder, kidnaping and arson in the March 23 death of Paul Bailly of Northridge. Prosecutors have alleged that Smith abducted Paul from a day-care center at the Darby Avenue Elementary School, gagged him with duct tape and strangled him, then set the body afire in Simi Valley.
Jury selection was to continue Monday, but Perren said he would postpone it until Jan. 8 and put off the trial so he could spend Monday handling the matters that he discussed privately with attorneys this week.
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