Susan Smith, who gained infamy three decades ago for drowning her two young sons by rolling her car into a South Carolina lake, was denied parole on Wednesday. The South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons unanimously rejected her plea, ensuring Smith remains incarcerated after serving 30 years of her life sentence.
Appearing via video link from Leath Correctional Institution, Smith tearfully testified, asking for mercy. "I know that what I did was horrible. I would give anything if I could go back and change it. I'm sorry. I know those are just words, but they come from my heart." She also invoked her faith, saying, "I am a Christian and I know that God has forgiven me."
The board asked Smith about her disciplinary record in prison, which includes numerous infractions over the years, including drug use and inappropriate relationships with prison guards. Smith responded that she had learned from her mistakes. Ultimately, her appeal for parole was denied, with the board deciding she should not be released.
David Smith, her ex-husband and the father of the two boys, urged the parole board to deny her release, saying, "This wasn't a tragic mistake. She purposely meant to end their life." Standing with grieving relatives and members of the prosecution team, he stressed the enduring pain caused by her actions. "The time she's served is just not enough. So I am asking that you please deny her parole today."
Susan Smith's case captured the nation's attention in 1994 after she falsely claimed that a Black man had carjacked her vehicle with her sons, Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months, inside. Her fabricated story sparked a massive manhunt and dominated headlines as she and David Smith made tearful public pleas for the boys' return. Just hours after a televised appearance, Susan Smith confessed to the crime, telling investigators she had intentionally rolled her car into John D. Long Lake while her sons were strapped inside.
Prosecutors argued during her trial that Smith killed her children to pursue a relationship with a wealthy man who had ended their affair because he did not want children. Defense attorneys presented a different narrative, claiming Smith was suffering from depression and a mental breakdown at the time of the crime. The jury ultimately convicted her of murder but declined to impose the death penalty, sentencing her instead to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Smith's time in prison has been tumultuous. Her disciplinary record includes charges of drug use, possession of contraband, and inappropriate relationships with correctional officers. Most recently, in August, she was penalized for communicating with a documentary filmmaker about her case and accepting funds in exchange for sharing details about the crime. According to a report, she discussed the events leading up to the murders and her plans to jump from a bridge with her sons before deciding to drown them instead.
Tommy Pope, the former prosecutor in Smith's case, was critical of her parole attempt. "Susan always focuses on Susan," he said. Reflecting on her behavior over the years, he added, "Susan has been focused on Susan for 30 years, not Michael and Alex."
In a letter written from prison in 2015, Susan Smith defended herself, stating, "Something went very wrong that night. I was not myself. I was a good mother and I loved my boys... There was no motive as it was not even a planned event. I was not in my right mind... I am not the monster society thinks I am."
David Smith, who has been vocal in his opposition to her release, told the parole board that he forgave his ex-wife but felt justice had to be served. "She doesn't deserve to ever be free again." Following the hearing, he expressed relief that she would remain in prison but noted the fight is far from over, as she will be eligible to apply for parole again in two years. "At least I know that, for now, she'll be behind bars," he said.
