Jan. 27, 2026
Orange County drops murder charge in jailhouse informant scandal's 61st collapsed case
Orange County prosecutors dismissed a decades-old murder charge after courts found pervasive misconduct tied to the county's jailhouse informant program, allowing a man once sentenced to life without parole to plead to voluntary manslaughter.
A man once sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole will serve a significanlty reduced term after Orange County prosecutors dismissed a decades-old murder charge tied to the county's notorious jailhouse informant scandal, marking the 61st case undone by prosecutorial misconduct.
Paul G. Smith, convicted in 2010 of murdering his longtime friend, pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter after courts found prosecutors illegally used jailhouse informant...
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!
Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)
Already a subscriber?
Sign In