The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services has confirmed that a parole hearing for Susan Smith, the woman convicted nearly 30 years ago of drowning her two young sons, is set for November 20. Serving two life sentences, Smith became eligible for parole this year, as reported by WBTV.
Smith's case made headlines back in 1994 when she claimed to the police, and on national television, that a Black man had carjacked her vehicle with her sons inside. As told by WCNC, her story incited a widespread manhunt and an outpouring of sympathy, before she confessed days later that it was she who had actually secured her children Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months, in their car seats, and intentionally rolled her car into John D. Long Lake.
Over the years, details of Smith’s troubled past have been brought to light, including a history of sexual abuse and prior attempts on her own life. During her 1995 trial, these afflictions were painted by her defense as partly explanatory for her tragic actions. However, sympathy for Smith may be tempered by her most recent disciplinary infraction, being convicted of an internal charge for communicating with a documentary filmmaker, an issue noted by WBTV.
Now 53, Smith has served the majority of her sentence at Leath Correctional Institute, and as detailed in an article from Spectrum News1, the odds for parole are generally low, with the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services approving only about 6% of applications. Regardless of the outcome, a press conference has been planned to follow the hearing in November.
Former South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart reflected on the initial investigation, stating, "She was very conniving." This comment was reported by WCNC.
