Pamela Smart Requests New Trial as Judge Considers Petition

WHO:

ABC News - Pamela Smart, 58, is serving life in prison for orchestrating the murder of her husband, Gregory Smart.

ABC News - William Flynn, a 15-year-old student, was involved in the murder and testified against Smart.

AP News - New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte rejected Smart's request to put her case before the council.

WHAT:

ABC News - Smart's lawyers filed a petition for a new trial, claiming several constitutional violations.

AP News - The judge is expected to rule on the petition in 30 to 60 days after hearing a motion to dismiss it.

ABC News - Smart's trial was one of the first in the U.S. to be broadcast live on television from start to finish.

ABC News - Smart was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.

ABC News - The shooter, William Flynn, was released in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence.

WHERE:

ABC News - The hearing took place in Concord, New Hampshire.

Boston.com News - Smart attended the hearing remotely from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York.

ABC News - The murder occurred in Derry, New Hampshire.

WHEN:

ABC News - Smart's petition for habeas corpus relief was filed in January.

ABC News - Smart's trial occurred in 1990.

ABC News - Smart took full responsibility for her husband's death in a video in 2024.

AP News - The judge plans to rule on the petition in 30 to 60 days.

WHY:

ABC News - Smart's lawyers argue that prosecutors misled the jury with inaccurate transcripts of recorded conversations.

ABC News - Smart's lawyers claim the verdict was tainted by media attention and faulty jury instructions.

HOW:

ABC News - Smart's lawyers argue that jurors were directed toward a conclusion by the transcripts, which included words not audible in the recordings.

ABC News - The state lawyers argue that Smart's claims are barred because they were previously raised on appeal and resolved by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

(UPDATED July 20, 2026 16:24 UTC)

Pamela Smart, who is currently serving a life sentence for orchestrating the murder of her husband, Gregory Smart, has filed a petition for a new trial, citing several constitutional violations. During a recent hearing in Concord, New Hampshire, Smart's lawyers argued that jurors were misled by inaccurate transcripts and that the verdict was influenced by media coverage, while state lawyers countered that these claims had already been addressed by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The judge is expected to rule on the petition in 30 to 60 days after considering a motion to dismiss it.