Full parole hearing of Susan Smith — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:00our next case will be case number
2. 0:0334 case number 34 Susan
3. 0:07Smith one moment as leth connects and
4. 0:11she does have supporters and we'll be
5. 0:14represented by attorney Tommy Thomas
6. 0:17thank you one moment as all parties
7. 0:18connect Miss Brown Henry H I do have a
8. 0:21statement that I need to read into the
9. 0:22record
10. 0:24please yes ma'am thank you I have
11. 0:28received this correspondence
12. 0:30it is addressed to The Honorable chair
13. 0:32Kimberly Frederick dated November 20th
14. 0:362024 please be advised that I will
15. 0:38recuse myself in the parole hearing of
16. 0:40Susan Smith number
17. 0:4422487 I was acting Warden at Camille
18. 0:47Graham Correctional Center in 1999 where
19. 0:50inmate Smith was housed and subsequently
20. 0:53transferred to Le Correctional
21. 0:55Institution I have determined that it is
22. 0:57appropriate to recuse to eliminate any
23. 1:00appearance of affecting her opportunity
24. 1:02for parole respectfully Gerald deine p
25. 1:06m thank you Mrs miror this is accepted
26. 1:09if you would please exit the
27. 1:11room thank
28. 1:19you Mrs Mira has recused herself of this
29. 1:22case and has exited the R thank
30. 1:27you thank you we have moved her sight
31. 1:30into the lobby
32. 1:32briefly in one moment as we admit all
33. 1:48parties there at least May I'm
34. 1:51confirming you are Miss Susan
35. 1:54Smith yes
36. 1:56ma'am you and attorney Tommy Thomas are
37. 2:00able to hear us yes ma'am I am thank you
38. 2:02and they're at the support site confirm
39. 2:04you are hearing support of Miss Susan
40. 2:08Smith can you
41. 2:11hear yes we can
42. 2:14hear and you're here in support of Miss
43. 2:17Smith yes yes ma'am thank you all for
44. 2:20joining you or before the board please a
45. 2:22wait for the chairman to address you
46. 2:24good morning Miss Smith good morning Mr
47. 2:26Thomas and good morning to the folks at
48. 2:29Watkins thank you thank you all for
49. 2:30being here with us today we hope
50. 2:32everyone is doing well miss Smith I want
51. 2:35you to know that we have received the
52. 2:37packet of information that Mr Thomas's
53. 2:39office provided to us on your behalf and
54. 2:42we have reviewed that packet so thank
55. 2:44you for submitting that in advance of
56. 2:46this hearing today Mr Thomas are you
57. 2:49going to begin or is your client going
58. 2:51to
59. 2:52begin uh yes ma'am I'll be glad to begin
60. 2:55yes
61. 2:57sir uh members of the board good morning
62. 3:00uh this is Susan Smith's um role hearing
63. 3:03this has probably been one of the most
64. 3:06difficult cases that um I have had to
65. 3:09put together for a parole presentation
66. 3:12um just lots of different factors to
67. 3:15consider um she's been convicted of
68. 3:18murder of course uh she has served 30
69. 3:21years and she was 23 at the time that
70. 3:23this incident occurred um she was
71. 3:26sentenced to life with the elig
72. 3:28eligibility of pro so that's why she is
73. 3:30here today um I'm not really going to
74. 3:33speak much about the crime um there are
75. 3:35some things that I want to cover and
76. 3:38that's not out of
77. 3:39disrespect
78. 3:46uh Susan and I want to make sure that uh
79. 3:50the things that are important not only
80. 3:52to her uh but to this hearing and this
81. 3:55board um are presented and I want to
82. 3:58thank you in advance for your time um to
83. 4:01listen to everything um this story is
84. 4:05really a mental health story um some of
85. 4:09this stuff I've known Susan for a couple
86. 4:11of years and we've been working on this
87. 4:13case um one of the things when I first
88. 4:16met her was of course trying to kind of
89. 4:19figure out some Rhyme or Reason as to
90. 4:22you know how these things have happened
91. 4:25and uh was able to uh find and have uh
92. 4:30someone come to see her on a routine
93. 4:32basis for uh
94. 4:34counseling and um also to try to help
95. 4:38her you know through the daily things
96. 4:39with Department of
97. 4:41Corrections um as a result that's kind
98. 4:44of what I kind of uh came to the
99. 4:46conclusion was it is a mental health
100. 4:48story um it's about uh the dangers of
101. 4:53untreated mental health it is about um
102. 4:57the lack of insight the lack of
103. 5:00diagnosis into mental health and it's
104. 5:03about stigmas uh old stigmas um of
105. 5:06course I'm 68 years old I remember those
106. 5:10um hopefully they're not as bad today
107. 5:12Susan was hospitalized uh as a young
108. 5:15team uh for a short period of time uh
109. 5:19for mental health treatment and not to
110. 5:23disparage anybody but her mom um was
111. 5:26telling folks that she was in the
112. 5:28hospital because she had had a um strip
113. 5:31uh infection so those were things that
114. 5:34we didn't talk about those were things
115. 5:36that um were pushed under the rug so to
116. 5:40speak because they were embarrassing
117. 5:42they showed weakness I don't know what
118. 5:44they showed um but they showed up and
119. 5:47culminated in Susan um as a result of a
120. 5:52day that all of this uh came together
121. 5:57and produced um some horrendous
122. 6:00uh results so I think it's important to
123. 6:02Susan if anybody if anything comes out
124. 6:06of this hearing it's that people
125. 6:09understand um there's nothing to be
126. 6:12ashamed of um there's nothing and no
127. 6:15reason not to reach out and seek
128. 6:17treatment and there is certainly um no
129. 6:21Stigma that should be involved in trying
130. 6:24to better yourself and help yourself um
131. 6:27for yourself and for others members of
132. 6:29the family and everyone Susan uh moving
133. 6:32on Susan is a high school graduate she
134. 6:35has uh some college with uh USC Union
135. 6:38she uh has attended International
136. 6:40Christian college and she's worked on an
137. 6:43associates degree she's still actually
138. 6:44working on that uh in Christian
139. 6:47Counseling um she has no prior record
140. 6:50that I'm aware of uh if paroled she
141. 6:53would be living with her brother uh
142. 6:55Scotty Von Scotty is here today and very
143. 6:58briefly wanted to address the
144. 7:00the job for her um she has served year
145. 7:0330 years so she's been in Department
146. 7:05Corrections for a long time would be
147. 7:07through vocational rehab um the P
148. 7:10program as probational parole uh would
149. 7:13know it and we have made arranged much
150. 7:16for after care licensed mental health
151. 7:20professional uh you have that
152. 7:21information in the packet that's been
153. 7:23provided to you um some of the programs
154. 7:27that I I took the time to look at
155. 7:29everything to look at the programs that
156. 7:32she's been involved in and um I'm not
157. 7:35going to speak about all of those that
158. 7:37you because you have those in the packet
159. 7:39uh the ones that I think are important
160. 7:41and relevant to
161. 7:43Dave uh is the uh self harmers group uh
162. 7:48she has committed uh attempted to commit
163. 7:51suicide uh on several different
164. 7:53occasions within the Department of
165. 7:55Corrections uh seven habits uh Beyond
166. 7:58abuse jump start uh which she is a great
167. 8:01fan of she does not have um a drug or
168. 8:05alcohol addiction thank goodness um she
169. 8:08has been active on OVO and the cipher
170. 8:11Works programs uh loss and grief uh
171. 8:15healing seminars women's empowerment
172. 8:19anger self-esteem and domestic violence
173. 8:23uh workshops I normally and I've
174. 8:26presented a number of parole hearings um
175. 8:29I first started with this thinking that
176. 8:32it had to be different than normally
177. 8:35what I would do as far as a
178. 8:37presentation um and I came to the
179. 8:39conclusion maybe this week that it
180. 8:41doesn't um I think it is and I will
181. 8:44stick with what I would normally do in
182. 8:46as far as the structure of my
183. 8:49presentation um what I always begin with
184. 8:52with the board is contributing factors
185. 8:54because I believe that's important um we
186. 8:58need to know um what was going on why it
187. 9:02was going on for the board to be able to
188. 9:05uh make a informed decision about her
189. 9:08parole um expectations and her parole
190. 9:11eligibility uh and um what kind of
191. 9:14candidate she is for parole one of the
192. 9:17things that has jumped out I saw this
193. 9:20last night um in the media um and I know
194. 9:23that Susan wants to speak and because
195. 9:26she feels like it's important to get the
196. 9:28truth out there
197. 9:30is this is not about the love for
198. 9:32another man um I saw it on local TV
199. 9:35about uh how this was all about another
200. 9:38man and and him not wanting children
201. 9:40from what I have been able to determine
202. 9:42that is just not true uh I have spoken
203. 9:45with David Brooke who was a defense
204. 9:47attorney on a number of different
205. 9:49occasions uh David has been a great
206. 9:52source of information uh in regards to
207. 9:55Susan uh he indicated to me that uh this
208. 9:59was was a theory um of uh a motive um by
209. 10:05the state that's think that's where we
210. 10:07think it developed uh however um this
211. 10:10was never proven at trial and it was
212. 10:12actually abandoned uh by the state so um
213. 10:16but it has stuck and I just wanted to I
214. 10:19know it's important to her to bring
215. 10:21attention um the contributing factors in
216. 10:25this case were multiple stress points um
217. 10:28they convert Ed all at the same time and
218. 10:32um we are certainly not trying um to to
219. 10:38uh say anything about you know the
220. 10:40horrific of this crime it is and she was
221. 10:43found guilty but we're trying to kind of
222. 10:46maybe present to the parole board how
223. 10:49how these um things developed and how
224. 10:52it's possible that something like this
225. 10:54could happen um one of the things that
226. 10:57has been important in her life and I
227. 10:59think is a um a huge contributor U to
228. 11:03this crime is the suicide of her dad at
229. 11:07age6 um
230. 11:09horrific um just horrific and she was
231. 11:13she blamed
232. 11:14herself uh how could he leave me um and
233. 11:19I think it sets the stage um for the
234. 11:22beginning of some serious mental health
235. 11:24issues some serious
236. 11:26depression um which just kind of
237. 11:29culminates and and continues to to
238. 11:32snowball um and the lack of you know
239. 11:35recognition and treatment for this issue
240. 11:37with her dad I mean it was like uh the
241. 11:40old stigma of um you know we just tough
242. 11:44through these these terrible situations
243. 11:46and you know that's how it's done um
244. 11:49it's not done that way um there were
245. 11:53some attempts to get some sort of
246. 11:55psychological help for her after a
247. 11:58couple of suici suicide attempts um and
248. 12:02uh never R went anywhere she was the
249. 12:05child um the adults in the picture um
250. 12:09did not can't blame them I think it was
251. 12:12the times uh did not seek and try to uh
252. 12:17understand the depth and the
253. 12:18significance of this and what it was
254. 12:19going to produce um at a later date um
255. 12:24severe
256. 12:25depression
257. 12:27um potential
258. 12:30um depression after um the birth of her
259. 12:34last child um which was also
260. 12:38undiagnosed and that postpartum
261. 12:41depression that existed in a severe
262. 12:44situation um just in culmination and I
263. 12:47apologize for reading something to the
264. 12:49board but I've looked at so much
265. 12:52material and if I can beg the board's uh
266. 12:55attention for a few minutes I would like
267. 12:57to say this and read this because I
268. 12:59think it summarizes everything that I've
269. 13:02been talking about and everything that
270. 13:05um Susan uh wanted to talk about what
271. 13:09happened um she said to me and this was
272. 13:12not in preparation for parole I found
273. 13:14this uh buried in a bunch of documents
274. 13:18that had been provided to me and it is
275. 13:20from Susan and she says I believe this
276. 13:24is what happened to me on October 25th
277. 13:271994
278. 13:29I lost touch with reality my thoughts
279. 13:32were not rational nor logic I don't
280. 13:36think I understood that if I allowed
281. 13:39this car to go into the lake um never
282. 13:42see my children again the finality of it
283. 13:46was not real to me because my thought
284. 13:48were so screwed up at the time my mind I
285. 13:52thought was doing what was best for them
286. 13:56I knew Jesus would take better care of
287. 13:59them than I could I was truly it was
288. 14:03truly a moment of insanity there are no
289. 14:06easy explanations and not um much
290. 14:11understanding how can you make sense of
291. 14:14something that is senseless and I think
292. 14:17that um shows the remorse that she's had
293. 14:21she's lived with this for forever since
294. 14:24this thing um when I first met her and I
295. 14:28would go and see her
296. 14:29um remorse is difficult you know that's
297. 14:32something with the parole hearings that
298. 14:34I've presented for years is to how do
299. 14:38you say uh how do you demonstrate
300. 14:40remorse um people do it in different
301. 14:42manners and I always look for that I
302. 14:44always ask my clients um you know and
303. 14:48and look for the remorse I could see the
304. 14:50pain on her face um it was so difficult
305. 14:56um talking about things were extremely
306. 14:59difficult and not because she didn't
307. 15:02want to talk about them it's just
308. 15:04because it was so hard to talk about
309. 15:07them so I think that she is truly
310. 15:09remorseful for what happened um and I
311. 15:12think she would do anything in the world
312. 15:15um to bring these children back but
313. 15:19moving on to the next um consideration
314. 15:22in this presentation is really changes
315. 15:24what changes has she made in herself in
316. 15:27prison one of the things I think is
317. 15:29important that say she has no prior
318. 15:31history um nothing that would lead up to
319. 15:35believe that um someone would be capable
320. 15:39of a crime of this nature which I think
321. 15:41is also indicative of what their risk is
322. 15:45if the board was um inclined to allow
323. 15:49her to P participate on parole I don't
324. 15:52think that was a is a risk and I think
325. 15:54that's what our um counselor who uh had
326. 15:58seen her on a regular basis for a number
327. 16:00of years also uh indicated that it was
328. 16:04very low risk she's been IRC uh chairman
329. 16:08uh within the institution that means
330. 16:11something um you're voted on by your
331. 16:13peers and uh it is an honor um to be in
332. 16:17that position she has been a math tutor
333. 16:20in education she's helped uh numerous
334. 16:23inmates uh obtain their GED she's been
335. 16:26in the character program uh prison
336. 16:30fellowship which is I think is extremely
337. 16:32important to her um she's much stronger
338. 16:35in her faith um than she has ever been
339. 16:39um and that is a comfort for her it's
340. 16:44something that um that she enjoys is
341. 16:47something that is extremely important
342. 16:49jump start good program um she's been in
343. 16:52that program um she would actually like
344. 16:55to go to jumpstart if the board would
345. 16:57consider her
346. 16:59um for parole um he has been out of the
347. 17:02program for a couple of years and that
348. 17:04would be she'd have to do some other
349. 17:06things for that to happen so that's why
350. 17:09we have chosen that um she would go and
351. 17:11live with her brother good solid
352. 17:13individual in the community willing to
353. 17:17um uh help her in any manner and um one
354. 17:23thing I've noticed from the family and
355. 17:25friends is that we BN with her um the
356. 17:31pain of this crime but um we still love
357. 17:36her and we're there for her um so she
358. 17:39has that uh for her and uh which is a
359. 17:43great resource if the board was going to
360. 17:46consider um her for uh parole one of the
361. 17:50other things I've noticed is giving back
362. 17:51to the community uh arts and crafts
363. 17:55she's made arts and crafts that she's
364. 17:56donated to charity uh she she's helped
365. 17:59uh St judees um she's helped staff
366. 18:03members she said that um in insight into
367. 18:08what's going on with her um stand on her
368. 18:11own two feet not to be influenced by
369. 18:14others uh live a better life think
370. 18:17before acting um and you know other
371. 18:20people are affected by um your decisions
372. 18:23and your actions and the importance of
373. 18:26mental health I think that comes back
374. 18:29into what we're talking about um it's
375. 18:33not a it's not an excuse but it is
376. 18:35certainly uh some indication or maybe
377. 18:39explanation as to um what was going on
378. 18:43um the goals and that's is is my final
379. 18:46area for my presentation is
380. 18:50that
381. 18:51um I don't think she'll ever be able to
382. 18:53forgive
383. 18:54herself um that is something that she
384. 18:57struggles with forever I think that
385. 18:59creates a danger to anyone except
386. 19:02potentially maybe a danger to her um her
387. 19:06medications her mental health
388. 19:08medications have been um balanced well
389. 19:12um by the Department of Corrections um I
390. 19:14think she thinks as clear now as she
391. 19:17ever has um I think that she is able to
392. 19:21establish goals and what she would like
393. 19:24to do um in her life and and I think on
394. 19:28the top of that list is to give and to
395. 19:31try to help others um she said that um
396. 19:37no one should suffer um in the way that
397. 19:40um uh in their treatment um there is
398. 19:44there is help available and um she wants
399. 19:47to help to get out and maybe help to
400. 19:50promote that um that concept that
401. 19:53there's help out there um you just have
402. 19:56to seek it and um she said she'd like to
403. 19:59live a quiet life she would welcome
404. 20:02supervision if granted parole and maybe
405. 20:05that is the best thing about this
406. 20:07situation um from that type of um
407. 20:11situation is that uh if she's granted
408. 20:14parole um it is for life and she will be
409. 20:18supervised and she will be monitored by
410. 20:20the uh Department of Probation and
411. 20:23Parole services for the rest of her life
412. 20:26um she said that she would welcome that
413. 20:29because that is another pillar of
414. 20:32stability that is available for her that
415. 20:35she can reach out to and she said that
416. 20:39that would be a vital and instrumental
417. 20:41part of her life she loves animals um
418. 20:44she said that would like to find a job
419. 20:46helping with dogs and cats I often ask
420. 20:49my clients um if you could choose and
421. 20:53you could make these wishes come true
422. 20:55what would you like to do you know what
423. 20:58is the job job that you truly would
424. 21:00enjoy often that's different um than the
425. 21:04job that we have and um I think that job
426. 21:07for Susan is the the Care for Animals
427. 21:11and being involved in um in that area uh
428. 21:16of help
429. 21:20um en
430. 21:23closing um
431. 21:29I think that uh she has indicated to me
432. 21:32that her desire is to um make her life
433. 21:37mean
434. 21:38something um something other than uh the
435. 21:42things that that she has
436. 21:44done um to make a positive impact in her
437. 21:49life I talked to somebody I've spoken to
438. 21:52a number of people and I've spoken to
439. 21:55one person that told me
440. 21:59um State they were at the
441. 22:01trial and they said that their
442. 22:05impression of Susan was that she was
443. 22:07living to
444. 22:09die um I didn't really understand that I
445. 22:13think the more that I have uh been
446. 22:18talking to her and preparing this case
447. 22:21that um maybe I do um I think that has
448. 22:25been Susan's life is living to die um
449. 22:31for the things that she has done and um
450. 22:36I think that what she's asking today is
451. 22:40to board is to ask the board to consider
452. 22:43a parole for her um so maybe she can
453. 22:46make something positive um out of a um a
454. 22:51horrific situation I want to thank you
455. 22:54for your time I know I've taken a lot of
456. 22:56time today um I would just ask if you
457. 22:58would please um consider her for for
458. 23:02release thank you Mr Thomas and
459. 23:04appreciate all your thank you and again
460. 23:07thank you for the the very detailed
461. 23:09packet that you
462. 23:10presented Miss Smith yes ma'am what
463. 23:12would you like to tell us
464. 23:19today first of all I want to say how
465. 23:23very sorry I am um
466. 23:40it's okay Susan
467. 23:42just
468. 23:44just just talk with
469. 23:52us I know that what I do was horrible
470. 23:59[Music]
471. 24:08and I would give anything if I can go
472. 24:09back and change
473. 24:12it and I love Michael and Alice with all
474. 24:15my heart
475. 24:29influence of drugs or alcohol the night
476. 24:32that you murdered your
477. 24:35children no ma'am I was
478. 24:38not your attorney your attorney talked
479. 24:41about working with mental health is that
480. 24:43helpful to
481. 24:47you Ma'am Mr
482. 24:50Thomas Mr Thomas talked about the fact
483. 24:53that you were working with mental health
484. 24:55and my question is is that helpful to
485. 24:57you
486. 25:00yes ma'am is that something that you
487. 25:03would be willing to continue with on the
488. 25:05outside if you were granted
489. 25:10parole yes
490. 25:14ma'am Miss Smith your crime took a lot
491. 25:17of of resources from the law enforcement
492. 25:20Community what if anything would you say
493. 25:23to the folks who worked so hard to find
494. 25:26your children if you had the opportunity
495. 25:28to speak to them
496. 25:33today that I'm sorry that I've put them
497. 25:36through that I really really
498. 25:39am sorry to the diers I had to find
499. 25:43them I wish I could take that back I
500. 25:46really
501. 25:48do I was really I didn't lie to get away
502. 25:53with it really didn't I was just
503. 25:56scared I didn't know how I get tell the
504. 25:59people that loved him that they would
505. 26:00never see them
506. 26:01again and you know how I could tell
507. 26:03David he couldn't see his sons
508. 26:08again and I'm I'm just I'm sorry I don't
509. 26:12know I know that's not enough I know
510. 26:14it's not but I don't know I know those
511. 26:18just have like words but they come from
512. 26:19my heart they really
513. 26:22do right one of the things that we
514. 26:25review is your institutional record and
515. 26:27you've had some infractions throughout
516. 26:29the years um some involving um the use
517. 26:35of some narcotics do you have any issues
518. 26:38with drugs or alcohol at this
519. 26:41point I don't no ma'am I don't and you
520. 26:44had a
521. 26:45recent you had a recent disciplinary
522. 26:48infraction just a few months
523. 26:51ago so why should this board think that
524. 26:55if we Grant you parole that you're going
525. 26:56to go out and follow the rules and the
526. 26:59laws of society if you do not follow the
527. 27:02rules within the
528. 27:07institution well this last infraction
529. 27:14um I was trusted the wrong person this
530. 27:17lady contacted me and I trusted her I
531. 27:20thought she was going to do a
532. 27:22documentary on mental health and I
533. 27:26really am not guilty of what they told
534. 27:28what they charged me with and I have
535. 27:30filed an appeal on that
536. 27:33charge um and as far as your question
537. 27:40um I've never been in trouble before and
538. 27:43the things that I have been found guilty
539. 27:45of in
540. 27:48here have been just stupidity I just
541. 27:53made I I know I made a lot of mistakes
542. 27:56in here and I have learned from them
543. 27:59and before this last infraction had been
544. 28:0110 years cuz I grew up and I knew that I
545. 28:05needed to stop making dumb decisions and
546. 28:09I did I I just I knew it was time to
547. 28:12just to grow up and do the right thing I
548. 28:16just made a lot of dumb choices and
549. 28:19mistakes in here so I know I've learned
550. 28:22from those
551. 28:23mistakes what do you feel is the most
552. 28:26important thing that you've learned
553. 28:27while you've been
554. 28:30incarcerated ma'am what do you think is
555. 28:32the most important thing that you have
556. 28:34learned while you have been
557. 28:40incarcerated that
558. 28:44um that people are important that
559. 28:49it's that forgiveness and love um that
560. 28:54family is important and that decisions
561. 28:57where make not just affect us they
562. 29:00affect the people that we
563. 29:03love and not to take things or people
564. 29:05for
565. 29:07granted all right is there anything else
566. 29:10that you would like to tell us today
567. 29:11that wasn't in your packet or that has
568. 29:13not already been
569. 29:17said um I would just like to say that
570. 29:23um I am a Christian and God is is a big
571. 29:28part of my life and I know he has
572. 29:31forgiven
573. 29:32me and it is by his grace and mercy that
574. 29:36and I have a lot of faith and I live by
575. 29:38that every day and I just ask that that
576. 29:42you um show that same kind of Mercy as
577. 29:46well
578. 29:48um
579. 29:51and I guess yeah that's it thank you are
580. 29:56there any other questions okay thank the
581. 30:00board Folks at Watkins I need each of
582. 30:03you to please state your name for the
583. 30:05record and your relationship to Miss
584. 30:07Smith ma'am can we begin with you
585. 30:20please' ma' your name in the
586. 30:24relationship I did not is it is it I
587. 30:28stand uh I'm Ann Curry I'm a longterm
588. 30:32friend and um supporter C thank you Miss
589. 30:38Curry and sir your name
590. 30:42please
591. 30:44and I think State your sir in your
592. 30:47relationship state your name in
593. 30:49relationship okay uh I'm the Reverend
594. 30:53Tom Curry uh I've known Susan briefly
595. 30:57when she was a teenager when I was
596. 30:59called in for one session each
597. 31:03counseling about two different matters
598. 31:05once by her teacher and once by Susan
599. 31:08and I testified at her trial uh which
600. 31:13the in the sentencing phase and I have
601. 31:17kept up with her uh by writing
602. 31:23her thank you we weekly for the last 30
603. 31:26years
604. 31:28I did this because I felt that she
605. 31:32needed somebody to remind her that her
606. 31:36whole life was not caught up in that one
607. 31:41experience but that she could put her
608. 31:45life back together because her life was
609. 31:47in such turmoil when all this happened
610. 31:50and I think she's a different person now
611. 31:53and that's what I want to talk about
612. 31:55when I get a chance to say a word about
613. 31:58I have new hearing aids and I can't
614. 32:01always hear your questions but my mind's
615. 32:04fine and uh I'm just a retired presan
616. 32:08Minister La well thank you Mr Cur we
617. 32:12appreciate that and you're welcome
618. 32:14you're welcome to make your statement
619. 32:15that you would like to make right
620. 32:18now all right okay I want to start with
621. 32:22her trial uh uh Mr Curry let me
622. 32:26interrupt you before you get too far
623. 32:28into that we are not here to retry her
624. 32:31case in any form or fashion that is not
625. 32:34the purpose of the parole board we are
626. 32:36here to determine if she is a good
627. 32:38candidate for parole and if so we would
628. 32:41set the parameters of that parole but in
629. 32:43no way can we discuss the trial or her
630. 32:48case she was convicted of two counts of
631. 32:50murder if you'd like to speak to
632. 32:52anything outside of that you're welcome
633. 32:56to okay me now I just want to say two
634. 33:00things about the trial I only went to
635. 33:02the trial uh for one part of one morning
636. 33:06uh to testify in the sentencing pH
637. 33:09against the death penalty and the two
638. 33:11things that I picked up from the trial
639. 33:14itself was one a prison guard who came a
640. 33:18female who said that uh she had not seen
641. 33:23a a
642. 33:25criminal as remorseful as Susan
643. 33:28was uh and that she felt her remorse
644. 33:32remorse for what she had done was
645. 33:34genuine and the second thing was one of
646. 33:37the jurors uh the prosecuting attorney
647. 33:40was pushing hard for the death penalty
648. 33:43and the jury voted not and they voted
649. 33:45life as you all have already mentioned
650. 33:48but one of the jurors said that she felt
651. 33:52like that it would be harder for Susan
652. 33:56to live with what she had done
653. 33:59that to
654. 34:00die and I thought that was a true
655. 34:03statement and it certainly has been for
656. 34:06Susan during her 30 years in prison and
657. 34:10especially the first part of her time
658. 34:13that she was there it's been mentioned
659. 34:15she attempted suicide several times and
660. 34:18she had a couple of run-ins where guards
661. 34:21were able to use her for their pleasure
662. 34:25uh and uh that that's a bad situation
663. 34:29and uh was dealt with and she was not
664. 34:32the only uh prisoner involved in thank
665. 34:35you Mr Curry thank you for your
666. 34:38comments thank you for your comments Mrs
667. 34:40Curry do you wish to say
668. 34:43anything um yes please and thank you for
669. 34:46letting us speak I just want to say that
670. 34:50I really think Susan is ready for
671. 34:53corolle now she has surrounded herself
672. 34:57with a caring support Community to that
673. 35:01advises and encourages her and she
674. 35:06listens to
675. 35:07them as uh Mr Thomas said she has done
676. 35:12everything she can to prepare herself to
677. 35:15live outside of prison in taking courses
678. 35:19and learning how to teach in caring
679. 35:22about other people and working on teams
680. 35:25and projects together
681. 35:28and thirdly as um both of them have said
682. 35:33she is not the young woman who went into
683. 35:36prison 30 years ago she is much stronger
684. 35:40she has grieved is still grieving well
685. 35:43always gri um but she's learned from it
686. 35:48and she has
687. 35:50experienced paralyzing remorse and
688. 35:54survived today she wants to be begin to
689. 35:58rebuild her life and I hope you'll give
690. 36:01her that chance I want to say one more
691. 36:04word for the last two years now remember
692. 36:07I wrot her for 30 years once a week
693. 36:10pretty close to every week and that is
694. 36:14the last two years I've ended my letters
695. 36:16by saying Susan you live in a needy
696. 36:20Place PR share God's love with those
697. 36:24around you and with your other contacts
698. 36:27but always live in Hope for your own
699. 36:29future there is a time when you will
700. 36:33live on your own
701. 36:35again past prison and that's what I hope
702. 36:39you all will give her the chance to do
703. 36:41at this time she is a very different
704. 36:45person from what she was 30 years ago
705. 36:50and I've probably been in contact with
706. 36:52her talking about spiritual things but
707. 36:56also talk is trying to enlarge her life
708. 37:00by telling her about what's going on in
709. 37:02the world around her and in the curry
710. 37:05family she's the same age as one of my
711. 37:08children all right thank you Mr Curry
712. 37:11appr appreciate all of your
713. 37:13comments we appreciate all of your
714. 37:15comments and all of the information Mr
715. 37:17Thomas anything in closing
716. 37:20sir no ma'am um nothing further than um
717. 37:25I really um would ask the board to take
718. 37:28the time to consider um Susan's request
719. 37:31for um parole I do believe that if we
720. 37:35look at uh insight into uh things that
721. 37:39uh we've done and as far as things that
722. 37:41U we need to do to um to get out of um
723. 37:45Department Corrections and to try to
724. 37:47make our life worthwhile or mean
725. 37:49something I think Susan is at that point
726. 37:52and uh I just again you for listening
727. 37:55today and um and hope you would um
728. 37:58consider our presentation thank you Mr
729. 38:00Thomas thank you Miss Smith and thank
730. 38:02you Mr Mrs Curry we certainly appreciate
731. 38:05all of you joining us today if you all
732. 38:07will please exit the rooms we will have
733. 38:09an answer for you later today thank you
734. 38:11for joining
735. 38:12us thank you one moment as the room
736. 38:24clears and the room is clear and we do
737. 38:26have addition testimony facilitated by
738. 38:28the office of victim
739. 38:31services please wait as all victims join
740. 38:34from central
741. 38:54office good afternoon
742. 39:03you all come on in thank
743. 39:10you can you Mo just a little further
744. 39:12around so you can get everyone in thank
745. 39:14you so
746. 39:22much thank you good afternoon you all
747. 39:26are here for the Coral consideration
748. 39:28case of Susan Smith is that correct yes
749. 39:32we are so very very sorry for the
750. 39:34circumstances that brought you all to be
751. 39:36a part of this hearing today but we
752. 39:39cannot tell you how much we appreciate
753. 39:41you joining us and being here with us
754. 39:43today thank you so much before we begin
755. 39:46I do need each of you to please state
756. 39:48your name for the record and your
757. 39:50interest in this case sir can we begin
758. 39:53with you please stand up you don't have
759. 39:55to stand up whatever is comfortable for
760. 39:58you I'm David Smith I'm the father of
761. 40:01Michael and Alex thank you Mr
762. 40:03SMI and um Tiffany Smith I Am David
763. 40:07Smith's
764. 40:09wife I'm Rebecca Smith French I'm the
765. 40:12aunt of Michael
766. 40:14Alex I'm Savannah Smith and I am David's
767. 40:17daughter Michael Alex's sister Austin
768. 40:20Hughes I'm a friend of the victim family
769. 40:23I'm Tommy v i was the solicitor in the
770. 40:25original trial
771. 40:27I'm Kevin bracket I'm the 16th circuit
772. 40:30solicitor currently and was a prosecutor
773. 40:32on the original
774. 40:33case Laura Hudson was the Crime Victims
775. 40:37Council Mark Reynolds I'm with the
776. 40:40victim's
777. 40:41family Billy Bailey personal
778. 40:44FR KY Bailey
779. 40:46person Jeff Bailey Sheriff Union
780. 40:49County Scott CER Sheriff's Office un
781. 40:52County Michael cogal documentarian
782. 40:57a
783. 40:59toich Doug Smith Dave's
784. 41:02Uncle thank you all and again we are so
785. 41:05very very sorry for the circumstances
786. 41:08but thank you for being here with us
787. 41:10today we do have the facts of the events
788. 41:13and we've heard from Miss SM now we want
789. 41:16to hear from you all whether you were
790. 41:18for or against parole and if anyone
791. 41:21would like to make a statement you are
792. 41:23certainly welcome to do so Mr Smith
793. 41:26would you like to begin or would you
794. 41:28like to conclude at the end it's
795. 41:30completely up to
796. 41:32you conclude at the end please okay who
797. 41:35would like to speak first I'll speak
798. 41:37first please ma'am thank you yes sir so
799. 41:41I'm Tommy Pope I was the 16th circuit
800. 41:43solicitor and um this was a death
801. 41:45penalty case and the reason it was a
802. 41:48death penalty case you know the
803. 41:49solicitor has that discretion but the
804. 41:51reason it was a death penalty case uh
805. 41:53you know the facts and circumstances and
806. 41:55I I just felt strongly that had the
807. 41:57black man with the deogan committed the
808. 42:00crime people would expect a death
809. 42:02penalty if David Smith had committed the
810. 42:04crime people would expected the death
811. 42:06penalty and I thought it was very
812. 42:08important that the Betrayal that Susan
813. 42:10Smith showed that she be treated the
814. 42:13same we knew it was going to be
815. 42:14difficult we knew there was a likelihood
816. 42:16of of not achieving the death penalty uh
817. 42:19but I think it's important to note the
818. 42:20jury at the time actually ask would what
819. 42:23did life mean and and you may be aware
820. 42:26but in that time life life did not mean
821. 42:27life life became life in '96 we tried
822. 42:30the case in '95 um so the jury was
823. 42:33asking the judge was required to
824. 42:35instruct the jury that you take life and
825. 42:37death in its plain and usual meaning
826. 42:40carrying that forward the jury showed
827. 42:42her mercy the jury gave her a life
828. 42:44sentence but one of the jurors or more
829. 42:46of the jurors after the fact and
830. 42:47speaking to the media said that they
831. 42:51believe the life sentence was the
832. 42:52greater punishment because they believed
833. 42:55that Susan should have to reflect on
834. 42:57what she did to Michael and Alex that
835. 43:00she should have to spend the rest of her
836. 43:02life uh thinking about what she' done
837. 43:05the two fallacies in that logic that the
838. 43:07jury could not have known are number one
839. 43:09obviously we here today so life did not
840. 43:11mean life uh number two and you have it
841. 43:15before you Susan's conduct from the day
842. 43:17she rolled the kids in the lake the
843. 43:19defense claimed a a botch suicide but
844. 43:22she was able to save herself she was
845. 43:24able to blame a black guy she wasn't wet
846. 43:27she wasn't injured when she runs to the
847. 43:29house and concocts his story Susan has
848. 43:32always focused on Susan I will believe
849. 43:34to to the end of my time that Susan made
850. 43:37a horrible horrible choice to choose a
851. 43:40man over her family I said the boys were
852. 43:43in the car her wedding gown was in the
853. 43:45car her wedding album was in the car she
854. 43:48thought in a nice packet she could roll
855. 43:50that away if she could have put David in
856. 43:52the car he would have been there too she
857. 43:53in a nice package she could roll that
858. 43:55away and start this new life with this
859. 43:58other man and she led everyone on David
860. 44:02for nine horrible days and so as you
861. 44:04look at her conduct in prison whether it
862. 44:06was a relationship with guards um the
863. 44:09social media the attention uh the
864. 44:12conduct recently with the the publisher
865. 44:15um Susan you know she's got people
866. 44:17outside I'm sure you've heard from them
867. 44:19that want to take care of her Susan has
868. 44:22always focused on what's best for Susan
869. 44:24and so the evidence that you have before
870. 44:26you I think tells clearly that she has
871. 44:29not focused on Michael and Alex she only
872. 44:32has and continues to focus on herself
873. 44:35and so on behalf of this family on
874. 44:37behalf of justice and the justice for
875. 44:39this case it's not about her behavior or
876. 44:42what she would do when getting out but I
877. 44:43know one of your criteria is the nature
878. 44:45of the crime and whether the punishment
879. 44:48is there and I would submit for the
880. 44:50crime she committed the actions she
881. 44:52committed that punishment has not been
882. 44:54achieved yet and so I would ask you to
883. 44:56deny parole now thank you for your time
884. 44:58thank you we appreciate
885. 45:01it would anyone else like to
886. 45:04speak yes yes sir Madam chairman uh
887. 45:08chair lady and members of the board
888. 45:10thank you so much for giving me the
889. 45:11opportunity to speak here today I was on
890. 45:13the prosecution team that handled the
891. 45:16prosecution along with uh solicor Pope
892. 45:19and speaker pope now uh who you just
893. 45:21heard from I wanted to bring to you a a
894. 45:25couple of vignettes from the case to
895. 45:27help bring this alive for you um in the
896. 45:30course of preparing for today I've gone
897. 45:33back over the case I've reviewed the
898. 45:35file I've pulled some of the evidence
899. 45:36out which is in a closet just off my
900. 45:39office evidence like the note that was
901. 45:41written uh to Susan Smith by her her
902. 45:44boyfriend the man she was cheating on
903. 45:46her husband with who told her in the
904. 45:48note that he could not be with her
905. 45:50anymore because he didn't want children
906. 45:53and that they had no long-term future
907. 45:55because he didn't want children and then
908. 45:57one week later she's rolling her car
909. 45:59down the ramp at John D long lake with
910. 46:02her two children strapped into the back
911. 46:04she betrayed her husband when she
912. 46:06cheated on him and she betrayed her
913. 46:10children against the laws of
914. 46:13nature when she should have been sworn
915. 46:15to protect those children she betrayed
916. 46:19them when she left them in the seat and
917. 46:21rolled that car down and she was not
918. 46:23trying to commit suicide she was trying
919. 46:25to change her life she wanted to kill
920. 46:27her old life and start a new she was
921. 46:29wearing a sweatshirt that the man who
922. 46:32she was cheating with had given to her
923. 46:35when she was on TV two hours later after
924. 46:38claiming that a black man in a tobogan
925. 46:40had carjacked her and spirited her two
926. 46:43children away how many black men in red
927. 46:46mazas got pulled over across the country
928. 46:50because they were looking for those two
929. 46:51kids and they were looking for this
930. 46:52fictitious man that didn't exist purely
931. 46:55a figment of Her Imagination
932. 46:57I was on the banks of John D long lake
933. 47:00standing there with about 40 or 45
934. 47:02people 50 people as the tow truck from
935. 47:05Greer's wrecker launched its line into
936. 47:09the water where divers hooked it up to
937. 47:10the car and pulled it
938. 47:13out total silence as that car emerged
939. 47:16from the Dark Water everybody sitting
940. 47:18there hoping and praying that maybe it
941. 47:21was a different car maybe it was a wrong
942. 47:23car maybe the kids weren't in there not
943. 47:26a word was said it was one of the most
944. 47:28haunting memories of my life and it will
945. 47:30live with me forever and that's the last
946. 47:32point I want to
947. 47:34make you're going to hear from this man
948. 47:38and he's going to tell you what this did
949. 47:39to
950. 47:41him I can't begin to describe it I sat
951. 47:44in court and listened to him testify and
952. 47:47it was heart-wrenching as he described
953. 47:49that his hopes and dreams for the future
954. 47:52were destroyed that night when she
955. 47:54killed their two children
956. 47:57this didn't just traumatize him it
957. 48:01traumatized Union it traumatized South
958. 48:04Carolina the entire country was in the
959. 48:08grips of her lie and her
960. 48:12treachery the entire country this was a
961. 48:15global sensation people were fixated on
962. 48:22this they're not the only victims and on
963. 48:26behalf of the community that I represent
964. 48:29now I don't believe she should ever be
965. 48:31released from jail until the last person
966. 48:35alive who remembers Michael and Alex is
967. 48:38dead and that will not be in her
968. 48:41lifetime she should never be released
969. 48:44and she should not be released now his
970. 48:47were hope you dash hers today and every
971. 48:51two years
972. 48:52herea thank you
973. 48:56anyone else wish to
974. 49:05speak you're welcome to stay seated if
975. 49:08you're more comfortable whatever is best
976. 49:09for you okay thank
977. 49:14you I want to read what I wrote okay
978. 49:17it's easier you don't mind when Susan
979. 49:20murdered Michael Alex she altered the
980. 49:22course of my life and my family's life
981. 49:24forever having grown up with three older
982. 49:27brothers Susan was like the sister I
983. 49:29never had I was a teenage mom of just 16
984. 49:33so I looked up to her and even admired
985. 49:35her I thought she was the best mother to
986. 49:38the boys and I stried to be just like
987. 49:40her I would even leave my own daughter
988. 49:42with her while attended night school
989. 49:44Susan betrayed us and took the lies of
990. 49:46those boys and then lied about it for
991. 49:49days when she did this she destroyed a
992. 49:52trust in me that I've never regained and
993. 49:54as a result I do not develop close
994. 49:56relationships with others easily in
995. 49:58particular
996. 50:00females anxiety and depression have
997. 50:02plagued my life for years I push it away
998. 50:04during spring and summer as best
999. 50:06possible but it always creeps back
1000. 50:09during back up around Alex's birthday
1001. 50:11when it rolls around in August because I
1002. 50:13know Michaels won't be far behind in
1003. 50:16October and then the anniversary of
1004. 50:18their death on the 25th cuz in my mind
1005. 50:21had always refer to this period of time
1006. 50:23as a sad
1007. 50:24months throughout my career the majority
1008. 50:27of any time M at work is around Michael
1009. 50:30Alex's birthdays and the anniversary of
1010. 50:33their
1011. 50:34death I stay in bed and sleep to deal
1012. 50:37with the depression it's just easier
1013. 50:40this way or at least it seems to
1014. 50:44be something as simple as taking up a
1015. 50:46new hobby turned into a nightmare for me
1016. 50:48last year my boyfriend I decided to take
1017. 50:51scuba diving lessons I geared up with
1018. 50:54all the equipment face mask on oxygen
1019. 50:57tank on my back stepped off the side of
1020. 50:59the pool into 15 ft of water and
1021. 51:01immediately sank to the bottom from all
1022. 51:03the weight I was caring normally you'd
1023. 51:06remember to breathe and begin to I had
1024. 51:09studied for all the weeks leading up to
1025. 51:11that point but nothing prepared me for
1026. 51:13dropping into a body of water and the
1027. 51:16feeling of being waited down unable to
1028. 51:18breathe and seeing Michael and Alex's
1029. 51:22face I immediately panick ripping off my
1030. 51:25face mask sucking in water and not being
1031. 51:27able to come to the surface from all the
1032. 51:28weight I was carrying I was drowning and
1033. 51:32I knew in that moment that was the
1034. 51:33closest I'd ever come to KN what my
1035. 51:37nephews had endured and how horrific and
1036. 51:41scared their last moments had to have
1037. 51:44been something as simple as taking up a
1038. 51:46new hobby was yet one more thing Susan
1039. 51:49was taking from
1040. 51:51me in over 25 years I have found myself
1041. 51:55finding Comfort going to the Cemetery
1042. 51:57where the boys are buried beside our
1043. 51:59older brother I go there often and I
1044. 52:01will tidy up their graves where people
1045. 52:04have left trinkets or gifts and I talk
1046. 52:06to them I go there when I'm happy I go
1047. 52:09there when I'm upset rainy days sunny
1048. 52:13days cold days and hot days it doesn't
1049. 52:16matter it brings me peace just being
1050. 52:19there but as a result I'm I'm not able
1051. 52:22to bring myself to move away from Union
1052. 52:25County because now I don't want to leave
1053. 52:29them we have Miss Michael n's
1054. 52:32kindergarten graduations numerous
1055. 52:34birthdays birthday parties subber
1056. 52:37vacations
1057. 52:38easers along with annual Easter hunt egg
1058. 52:42hunts at MOS thanksgivings Christmases
1059. 52:45football soccer baseball games
1060. 52:48proms High School graduations possible
1061. 52:53marriages and births of their own
1062. 52:55children we don't know
1063. 52:58because they never had a
1064. 53:01chance they never had a chance to live a
1065. 53:03life of their own Susan took that from
1066. 53:07them she took that from us
1067. 53:10all I know she wants a chance to be free
1068. 53:14after only serving 30
1069. 53:16years
1070. 53:18no life should mean
1071. 53:21life I'm respectfully asking you please
1072. 53:25deny her request
1073. 53:27for thank you thank
1074. 53:35you I apologize if I get a little bit
1075. 53:39emotional uh I drove down from
1076. 53:43Detroit on Monday night which was
1077. 53:46Halloween before of that week and um
1078. 53:51young man middle-aged man then I'm an
1079. 53:53old man now but the boys never got to
1080. 54:00as Becky said they missed they missed a
1081. 54:02lot they missed her
1082. 54:04life today they would be in their 30s
1083. 54:07David would probably be a
1084. 54:09Granddad boys were still
1085. 54:12here I took my sister out to the lake
1086. 54:16yesterday and it's a beautiful drive out
1087. 54:18there I just think and all the all that
1088. 54:22time she had time to change her mind the
1089. 54:26stop and turn around and not go through
1090. 54:28with it but she
1091. 54:30did and then the boys were gone a year
1092. 54:33later I came back down for the trial
1093. 54:37Tommy pope did a good job that proved
1094. 54:40that she was
1095. 54:42guilty during the sentence and trial
1096. 54:46they came back and
1097. 54:48recommended life Tommy had argued for
1098. 54:52for death penalty the family was for
1099. 54:55death penalty to come back and recommend
1100. 54:57her life but we we said well we'll live
1101. 55:01with
1102. 55:02it you know she'll have to live with it
1103. 55:04for the every day for the rest of her
1104. 55:06life so we were we were satisfied with
1105. 55:09life but we do not want to parole
1106. 55:13against any parole for her and then two
1107. 55:16other items going back 30 years the the
1108. 55:19Friday morning after
1109. 55:38apologize but the Friday morning after
1110. 55:41uh David his dad my brother's wife and
1111. 55:45and I the four of us were sitting at hul
1112. 55:47funeral home and
1113. 55:49Union and uh discussing the funeral
1114. 55:53arrangements David asked to see the boys
1115. 55:56and Mr hulkin had a funny look in his
1116. 55:58face and he he said Mr Smith could I see
1117. 56:10you so we we went out and he said you
1118. 56:14know your nephew can't see the voice and
1119. 56:17he told me why he said you know the boys
1120. 56:20were in the water for nine days
1121. 56:28so I went back and told David I said you
1122. 56:32know you it's better you don't see the
1123. 56:35boys and I think deep down he understood
1124. 56:46why the next day Saturday three of us
1125. 56:50David his dad and I went out to the uh
1126. 56:53banville United Methodist Church
1127. 56:55Cemetery
1128. 56:57and to look where the boys are going to
1129. 56:59be buried and David's brother Danny who
1130. 57:03had died three years earlier was buried
1131. 57:06there David one of his boys buried next
1132. 57:08to his his uh brother their uncle but
1133. 57:12the way the cemetery is laid out there
1134. 57:14was no room for for the boys to be put
1135. 57:17next to Danny
1136. 57:28so I found the uh the uh Cemetery
1137. 57:34custodian and asked him it were possible
1138. 57:37to move
1139. 57:38Danny and he said well yes if that's
1140. 57:41what the family wants we can move Danny
1141. 57:44so I went back and told my
1142. 57:47brother said you know David wants the
1143. 57:50boys be next to their Uncle would you
1144. 57:52have a problem if we move Danny
1145. 58:04and he said
1146. 58:06no so if you go out to the cemetery
1147. 58:11you'll find that Danny and the boys are
1148. 58:14side by
1149. 58:23side does anyone else wish to speak
1150. 58:32so as as David's
1151. 58:34wife I have stood by him for the last 30
1152. 58:37years and watched his pain his
1153. 58:40suffering his dark days that you cannot
1154. 58:48imagine it's been hard as a loving wife
1155. 58:52to stand back and watch him suffer the
1156. 58:54pain that he has gone through
1157. 58:58to not want to get out of bed some
1158. 59:03days to not be able to get out of
1159. 59:10bed because the pain was so much for
1160. 59:18him and for 30 years we had thought this
1161. 59:21day would never come but yet here we are
1162. 59:28I don't feel that that it's time for her
1163. 59:31to be let out because she took two lives
1164. 59:34she didn't just take one she took two
1165. 59:37precious little
1166. 59:39boys that we haven't been able to watch
1167. 59:41grow
1168. 59:44up and it's Becky stated earlier all the
1169. 59:48things that we've missed out on because
1170. 59:49of them not being here all the things
1171. 59:52they missed out on growing up and
1172. 59:56and
1173. 1:00:03doing and for her to be in prison for
1174. 1:00:07the last 30 years you would think that
1175. 1:00:08she would have thought about what she's
1176. 1:00:11done she would have said I'm sorry but
1177. 1:00:13she hasn't said I'm sorry she hasn't
1178. 1:00:16even called him hasn't even told him
1179. 1:00:20she much less the
1180. 1:00:23world for nine days all I can think of
1181. 1:00:26about is how much she
1182. 1:00:27lied and manipulated
1183. 1:00:30everybody the whole
1184. 1:00:32world I watched it and believed her
1185. 1:00:38myself I wanted her to be telling the
1186. 1:00:43truth but to be betrayed by her
1187. 1:00:47lies and that just makes me feel like if
1188. 1:00:49she could do that then whatever she's
1189. 1:00:52told you today I'm sure were probably
1190. 1:00:54lies as well
1191. 1:00:56because she has shown in her last 30
1192. 1:00:59years what she does in prison she's all
1193. 1:01:02about herself it's all about what she
1194. 1:01:05can do to to make her life
1195. 1:01:13better Michael and Alex didn't get a
1196. 1:01:15chance at life they were forced the
1197. 1:01:18death
1198. 1:01:21penalty she took that from them
1199. 1:01:32the lives of this family has been
1200. 1:01:34forever
1201. 1:01:38changed it caused us to be a little
1202. 1:01:40overprotective of our now
1203. 1:01:42daughter little it more than we probably
1204. 1:01:44should have
1205. 1:01:46been because we were afraid something
1206. 1:01:49might happen to her
1207. 1:01:56it's changed the way we look at life
1208. 1:01:58it's changed the way that we look
1209. 1:02:00at everybody who can I
1210. 1:02:03trust for a long time I didn't trust a
1211. 1:02:06lot of people I had to be careful you
1212. 1:02:08know around certain people I didn't know
1213. 1:02:10if I could trust them or not all because
1214. 1:02:13of her
1215. 1:02:22lies so to help give us to give this
1216. 1:02:25family some peace
1217. 1:02:26PE it would be best if Susan stayed
1218. 1:02:29behind
1219. 1:02:31fars and stay in prison for the rest of
1220. 1:02:34her
1221. 1:02:35life I respectfully ask you to keep her
1222. 1:02:39in thank you thank
1223. 1:02:40[Music]
1224. 1:02:46you does anyone else wish to speak for
1225. 1:02:49Mr Smith she anyone
1226. 1:02:57forgive
1227. 1:03:02me most of what I have to say is going
1228. 1:03:05to be pretty
1229. 1:03:09redundant but
1230. 1:03:12um primarily I would just like to focus
1231. 1:03:18on since I came after the
1232. 1:03:22fact what I had stolen from me
1233. 1:03:26was two older
1234. 1:03:27brothers the good and the bad of having
1235. 1:03:30older
1236. 1:03:32siblings
1237. 1:03:35and I now try to use my
1238. 1:03:39life as a way to live for
1239. 1:03:43them and growing
1240. 1:03:46up I didn't quite understand it my whole
1241. 1:03:49life but
1242. 1:03:51did I felt like I had witnessed it like
1243. 1:03:53I was there
1244. 1:03:56the pain that Not only was caused to
1245. 1:03:59me
1246. 1:04:02and like a domino effect but what I have
1247. 1:04:06seen
1248. 1:04:07firsthand with my father my
1249. 1:04:12aunt and our whole
1250. 1:04:17Hometown we can no longer say that we're
1251. 1:04:19from Union County without Susan's
1252. 1:04:22actions being brought up
1253. 1:04:29and just for the sake of all of us and
1254. 1:04:32our whole Community I asked that you
1255. 1:04:35deny her
1256. 1:04:44request you're welcome to stay seated if
1257. 1:04:47you
1258. 1:04:53are Madam German members of the
1259. 1:05:03committee it's been a tough 30
1260. 1:05:07years
1261. 1:05:09um I'm not here to speak about what
1262. 1:05:13she's done in prison you all have the
1263. 1:05:16records and accounts of all
1264. 1:05:18that just here to
1265. 1:05:21Advocate on Michael
1266. 1:05:24Alex's and as their
1267. 1:05:30father you
1268. 1:05:33know God gives us free
1269. 1:05:36choice and she made free choice that
1270. 1:05:39night to end her life this wasn't a
1271. 1:05:42tragic
1272. 1:05:43mistake wasn't something that she didn't
1273. 1:05:47mean to do she
1274. 1:05:51purposely meant to end their life
1275. 1:05:57I've
1276. 1:05:58never have felt any remorse from her for
1277. 1:06:01it she's never expressed any to me I've
1278. 1:06:04never seen it on
1279. 1:06:09paper
1280. 1:06:14um now she you've heard she changed my
1281. 1:06:19life for the rest of my life that night
1282. 1:06:34some for the better some for the worse
1283. 1:06:41but but what she did not only to Michael
1284. 1:06:46and
1285. 1:06:48Alex she came pretty
1286. 1:06:51close to causing me to end my life
1287. 1:06:56because of the grief that she brought
1288. 1:06:58upon
1289. 1:07:01me but thankfully she
1290. 1:07:07didn't I understand back
1291. 1:07:11in
1292. 1:07:1395 that through the state's
1293. 1:07:16law life imprison meant 30 years to
1294. 1:07:20life and now that's different but at
1295. 1:07:23that time that's what counts understand
1296. 1:07:30that but ultimately to me that's only 15
1297. 1:07:35years per
1298. 1:07:38child her own
1299. 1:07:42children it's just not
1300. 1:07:48enough so I'm asking that you
1301. 1:07:51please do not hurt PE today
1302. 1:07:57and hopefully in the future but
1303. 1:07:59specifically
1304. 1:08:03today not let her
1305. 1:08:07out I miss him very
1306. 1:08:10much and I love them very
1307. 1:08:13much and I will be here every two years
1308. 1:08:16going
1309. 1:08:19forward to ensure
1310. 1:08:21that your death doesn't go in vain
1311. 1:08:26thank
1312. 1:08:27you thank you so much Mr
1313. 1:08:33SMI again please know how very very
1314. 1:08:36sorry this board is to all of you for
1315. 1:08:40all the pain that this CRM caused you
1316. 1:08:44but we sincerely appreciate you all
1317. 1:08:46being here with us today thank you very
1318. 1:08:49much for the reminder with the picture
1319. 1:08:52of Alex and Michael they were beautiful
1320. 1:08:58children say thank you for reminding us
1321. 1:09:00of that
1322. 1:09:01today we wish you the very best and if
1323. 1:09:05no one else has anything else that they
1324. 1:09:07would like to say if you all will exit
1325. 1:09:09with these ladies over here we'll have
1326. 1:09:11an answer for you
1327. 1:09:12shortly thank you so much for being here
1328. 1:09:52the room is clear
1329. 1:10:03as a reminder Mrs Mir did recuse
1330. 1:10:08herself Miss Susan Smith is denied
1331. 1:10:10parole the vote is unanimous numbers one
1332. 1:10:14and six thank you