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By Jon Jackson and Natalie Venegas
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A parole board on Wednesday unanimously decided that Susan Smith should remain in prison 30 years after she killed her two young sons.
Smith killed her sons by rolling her car into a lake in South Carolina while they were restrained in car seats.
What Happened at the Parole Hearing?
Smith, now 53, is serving a life sentence for the 1994 murders of her two sons, Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months, whom she drowned by letting her car roll into a lake.
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This parole hearing, her first since becoming eligible, was held via video link, where Smith broke down and expressed remorse for her actions, saying: "I know what I did was horrible. I would give anything so I could change it."
When asked by the parole board about the law enforcement resources used to try to locate her children, Smith told the board she was "just scared" and "didn't know how to tell them."
Despite her appeals for mercy, citing her deep Christian faith, the board denied her parole.
A group of about 15 people had urged against parole. They included her ex-husband and the father of the boys, David Smith; his family members; prosecutors; and law enforcement officials.
David Smith passionately opposed parole, speaking of the lifelong impact of his sons' deaths.
She "had free choice," he said, his voice cracking with emotion while adding that his children's deaths weren't a "tragic mistake."
He said he has never seen Susan Smith express remorse toward him.
"She changed my life for the rest of my life that night," he said.
"I'm asking that you please, deny her parole today, and hopefully in the future, but specifically today," he said, adding that he vows to oppose her release at every hearing.
According to the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, a two-thirds vote of board members present at the hearing are required in order to grant parole.
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Susan Smith's Conviction
Smith's case gained global attention in the 1990s. Initially, Smith claimed a Black man had carjacked her vehicle with her sons inside, a fabricated story that fueled racial tensions and led to innocent Black men being wrongfully stopped by authorities.
However, after nine days it was revealed Smith herself had let her car, with her children strapped inside, sink into John D. Long Lake.
Investigators noted discrepancies in her original story, including implausible traffic light patterns and the absence of witnesses.
Prosecutors said Smith was having an affair with the wealthy son of the owner of the business she worked at. He reportedly broke it off because she had two young sons.
During the trial, the defense argued that Smith was suffering from untreated mental health issues and intended to die alongside her children but left the car at the last moment.
Meanwhile, in the years since being sentenced, Smith's time in prison has been marked by scandal, including affairs with correctional officers and allegations of improper communications with outsiders. Critics, including former prosecutor Tommy Pope, have suggested her actions behind bars demonstrate a pattern of selfish behavior.
"I believe Susan is the same woman she was 30 years ago when she laughed in the courtroom when the jury wasn't in and cried as soon as the jury comes in," Pope said.
What's Next?
Smith's next parole hearing is scheduled for 2026, though her chances of release remain slim as South Carolina parole statistics show approvals are rare with parole only being granted about 8 percent of the time, particularly in high-profile cases where victims' families and prosecutors remain staunchly opposed.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 11/20/24 2:41 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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