VENTURA : September Trial Ordered in Slaying
A Ventura County Superior Court judge on Friday scheduled a September trial for Gregory Scott Smith, who is accused of kidnaping, molesting and strangling an 8-year-old Northridge boy and setting fire to his body.
Smith could face the death penalty for the slaying of Paul Bailly if convicted in the trial, which Judge Steven Z. Perren scheduled to begin Sept. 16.
Smith’s attorneys said they plan to file a motion asking Perren to dismiss special circumstance allegations that would make Smith eligible for the death penalty.
Smith pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of murder, kidnaping, arson, sodomy and felony child molesting. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty on grounds that Smith killed the boy during the course of the other felonies.
Friday’s arraignment in Superior Court was the second for Smith, whose first trial was canceled after a conflict of interest developed between the public defenders representing him and a key prosecution witness whom they also had represented.
James M. Farley, one of the attorneys appointed to represent Smith, said he will ask Perren to set aside the charges because most of the evidence is circumstantial and not strong enough to support them.
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