In October 1994, Susan Smith drowned her two sons in John D. Long Lake in Union, South Carolina. She made national news afterward and fabricated an entire story. However, the truth was unveiled, and Smith was arrested for the death of her sons and charged with two counts of murder. In 1995, she was sentenced to life in prison. Nearly 30 years after her sentencing, she is eligible for parole and will appear before the parole board at the end of November. Her ex-husband, David Smith, is incredibly distraught over the possibility of her being released.
Investigation and Charges
Susan Smith claimed a black man hijacked her car late in the evening and kidnapped her sons Michael, 3 years old, and Alexander Smith, 14 months old. An investigation and search ensued for the boys; however, Smith’s stories did not line up. The investigators questioned why a carjacker would allow Smith to go but not her children. That was one of many finer details that did not make sense to the officials. She pleaded on national television for nine days that her sons be returned to her. Eventually, Susan Smith confessed to where her sons were. She admitted to driving the car to the lake and leaving it on a boat ramp.
Susan Smith exited the vehicle and let it roll into the lake with her sons strapped in their car seats. Her sons were found dangling upside down in their car seats. Investigators recreated the incident to get a better tell on the children’s death. It proved that it took the Mazda six minutes to submerge. They installed cameras inside the test vehicle, which showed the water levels rising steadily. Those children were probably too scared that their mother abandoned them to realize what was happening. Their father, David Smith, did not even get to say goodbye. It was a senseless and selfish act, and now she has the chance to live life like it never happened.
The Conviction of Susan Smith
Tommy Pope, the lead prosecutor of Smith’s case, spoke out on her potential release. He said, “The jury believed she got a life sentence, and that’s what she should serve.” He continued, “Secondarily, I would point to her conduct in prison to show, unfortunately, what a juror hoped would happen, that she would be remorseful and think about those kids. She’s proven she’s only thinking about Susan Smith.” During her trial, the prosecution argued Susan Smith was having an affair with a wealthy man. However, he ended things with her when he decided he wanted nothing to do with her children.
The prosecution requested the death penalty in her case. However, when the jury convicted her of the murders, they decided she did not warrant such a severe sentence. Susan Smith’s defense argued she was remorseful of her actions and planned to die alongside her sons. She was allegedly in the middle of a mental breakdown but left the car at the last minute, leaving her sons to die alone. The defense’s argument could be true, but that does not forgive Smith for her actions afterward. She lied to the police, her husband, and her family about what happened to those boys for over a week. The last thing she deserves is to be let out of prison.
Final Thoughts
Susan Smith’s parole hearing will be held virtually on November 20, 2024. David Smith told FOX Carolina, “I’m sure after 30 years some people have found forgiveness themselves for her, and maybe feel sorry for her, and that’s understandable, but that still doesn’t take back what she did to Michael and Alex.” He has forgiven his wife but believes she deserves more than 30 years. The lead prosecutor intends to plead with the parole board that a jury spared Smith her life, but on the condition she would spend the rest of her life in prison. The parole rate in South Carolina has been diminishing over the years, so it is more than likely Susan Smith will not be released.
