Susan Smith, the woman who caused national shock three decades ago by intentionally driving her car into a lake, resulting in the tragic deaths of her two children, is set to make a plea for parole board before the board on Wednesday.
Smith will testify to the seven-person panel about why she believes she is prepared to reintegrate into society. The board needs a simple majority vote to approve her parole and facilitate her release.
Almost 30 years ago today, Susan Smith made headlines worldwide when she claimed that she had been carjacked late at night near Union, South Carolina, by a Black man.
The woman informed the police that the man took off with her two young sons, Michael, aged 3, and Alex, aged 14 months. Her report sparked a nine-day manhunt, during which Smith and her estranged husband, David Smith, made emotional pleas on national television for the safe return of their children.
The case received extensive media coverage, with Susan Smith appearing on NBC’s “TODAY” show and expressing, “As a mother, it’s only natural to want to protect your children from any harm, and the most difficult aspect of this entire ordeal is not knowing if your children are receiving the necessities to survive, and it’s painful.”
During her trial the following year, prosecutors presented their case claiming that Smith murdered her sons due to her involvement with a wealthy man who terminated their relationship because he did not desire children. Conversely, Smith’s defense attorneys argued that she was a survivor of sexual assault by her stepfather and was experiencing a severe mental breakdown at the time she took the lives of her sons.
The jury convicted her of murder, and she was sentenced to life in prison, despite the prosecution’s push for the death penalty.
Smith, who is now 53 years old, has had a tumultuous three decades while incarcerated in South Carolina. During this time, she has faced multiple disciplinary actions. Her first infraction took place in 1997 when she was caught in possession of contraband, specifically a razor.
In 2000, she was transferred from the Women’s Correctional Center after two prison guards admitted to engaging in sexual encounters with her. Lt. Houston Cagle and Capt. Alfred R. Rowe Jr. were found guilty of having sex with an inmate, as a result of an investigation into prison guard conduct, according to records from Richland County criminal court.
In the subsequent year, Smith broke the rules by refusing to participate in the headcount, resulting in a 45-day confinement in her cell. According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, she faced disciplinary action in both 2010 and 2015, where she received punishment in the form of detention and the revocation of canteen privileges due to her involvement with drugs, specifically marijuana.
While she was in prison, Smith has consistently maintained her defense, arguing that something went terribly wrong on that fateful night. In a heartfelt letter addressed to The State newspaper in South Carolina in 2015, she expressed, “I wasn’t myself. I was a loving mother who adored my boys… It wasn’t a premeditated act; there was no motive behind it. I wasn’t in the right state of mind… I am not the monstrous individual society perceives me to be.”
Under state law, Smith became eligible for parole on November 4. According to publicly available data, the board grants parole to approximately 8% of violent offenders. The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services received 471 letters regarding Smith’s hearing as of Monday. Interestingly, only six of those letters expressed support for her release.
According to Willie Rice, one of the jurors from her trial thirty years ago, he believes that Smith has served her sentence and should be considered free.
“The question that has always stayed with me is whether I would be able to accept her back into society. This was a question posed by the prosecutor when I was serving as a juror,” Rice revealed. “And my answer to that question remains unchanged: yes.”
David Smith, who is now her ex-husband and the father of Michael and Alex, has expressed his intention to speak against her release in front of the parole board on Wednesday. It is anticipated that former lead prosecutor and current South Carolina State Rep. Tommy Pope will also voice his opposition.
In a recent interview with The State, Pope expressed his strong conviction that the death penalty was the appropriate punishment for the crime committed. He firmly believes that the jury was not aware that a life sentence would grant Smith the possibility of parole.
According to a recent statement from the ex-prison guard who was convicted of engaging in a sexual relationship with Smith in 2000, he expressed his belief that Smith’s prison record indicates she has not truly learned anything, except for how to engage in illegal drug activities.
If Smith were to be granted parole, she would need to fulfill certain pre-release requirements related to employment, housing, participating in programs, and addressing any outstanding warrants. However, if her release is denied, she would have the option to reapply for parole in two years’ time.
