Susan Smith, who has been serving a life sentence for the drowning of her two young sons in 1994, was denied parole by the South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons. The decision came after a hearing where Smith, now 53 years old, appeared emotional and remorseful, pleading for her release via video feed.
During the hearing, Smith expressed deep regret for her actions, stating, “I know that what I did was horrible…I’m sorry that I put them through that…I wish I could take that back, I really do…I was just scared”. Despite her emotional testimony, the parole board unanimously voted to deny her parole, citing the nature and seriousness of her crime, as well as her institutional record of offenses.
Susan Smith’s attorney, Tommy Thomas, spoke about her mental health struggles, including postpartum depression, and argued that she was truly remorseful for her actions.
However, her ex-husband, David Smith, strongly opposed her release, emphasizing the deliberate nature of her crime and the lasting impact on his life. “God gives us free choice, and she made free choice that night to end their life. This wasn’t a tragic mistake…she purposely meant to end their life,” he stated.
The case, which garnered international attention, began in 1994 when 23-year-old Susan Smith falsely claimed that her sons had been kidnapped by a Black man, leading to a nationwide search. However, it was later revealed that she had rolled her car into John D. Long Lake, drowning her sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex. Smith confessed to the crime after failing a polygraph test, and her trial in 1995 resulted in a murder conviction.
Throughout her time in prison, Smith has faced multiple disciplinary charges, including having sex with a prison guard and using drugs. Despite her claims of finding solace in religion and seeking forgiveness, the parole board remained unconvinced of her rehabilitation.
Attorney Eric Bland, who has represented victims in other high-profile South Carolina cases, expressed skepticism about Smith’s chances of parole, stating, “The South Carolina State House has a better chance of getting hit with a meteor tonight than Susan Smith will have at getting parole tomorrow”. Bland also noted that Smith’s recent attempt to contact her ex-husband to seek support for her parole further diminished her credibility.
Most people online agree that the parole board’s decision reflects the gravity of Smith’s crime and the lasting pain felt by the victims’ families. As David Smith poignantly remarked, “What she did not only to Michael and Alex, she came pretty close to causing me to end my life because of the grief she brought upon me”. The denial of parole ensures that Susan Smith will continue to serve her life sentence, as intended by the jury that convicted her nearly three decades ago.