The trial of Caleb Flynn, former American Idol star accused of killing his wife Ashley, is underway. Attorneys L Patrick Mulligan, Emily Smith are defending the Tipp City man as seven witnesses have testified in the case.
The prosecution, led by State Prosecuting Attorney Paul Watkins, noted in opening statements that Flynn was texting an alleged mistress at the time his wife was killed. He faces multiple charges including murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence in the February 2026 murder of Ashley.
Here's all you need to know about L Patrick Mulligan and Emily Smith, the lawyers defending Caleb Flynn in his murder trial.
Who is L Patrick Mulligan?
L. Patrick Mulligan is the founder of Cincinnati, Ohio-based law firm Moermond & Mulligan, LLC. He has over 35 years of experience and is ‘known for his dedication to defending the rights of the accused’ as per his law firm page.
Mulligan got his JD from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1984 and started his career as a public prosecutor in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, handling over 180 felony cases.
{{/usCountry}}Mulligan got his JD from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1984 and started his career as a public prosecutor in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, handling over 180 felony cases.
{{/usCountry}}He became a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 1997. Mulligan is licensed to practice in Ohio, Kentucky, the U.S. District Court (Southern District of Ohio), the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prior to kickstarting his law studies, Mulligan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics from Kings College, in 1981.
Who is Emily Smith?
Smith works at Mulligan's law firm. Her page notes she's a ‘dedicated criminal defense attorney committed to providing compassionate, effective advocacy for individuals and families navigating the criminal justice system’.
While Smith is originally from New Jersey, her family moved to upstate New York before eventually settling in Dayton, Ohio.
She attended Wayne High School in Huber Heights, graduating in 2012, then got her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Wright State University in 2015 followed it with a degree from the University of Dayton School of Law (UDSL).
Smith started off as a 911 dispatcher for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department after college. Initially, she intended to be a cop but later developed an interest in law. Then, Smith became a legal secretary and an in-court assistant before becoming a criminal and family law paralegal.
Following law school, Smith too worked as a public defender in the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office. She also became a prosecuting attorney with the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office working in the child protective unit, the grand jury division, followed by the felony criminal division, her page notes.
Smith's ‘mission is to ensure that every client feels seen, heard, respected, and supported,’ her page further reads.