On October 25, 1994, Susan Smith became the center of national attention when she claimed that a Black man had carjacked her vehicle with her sons, Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months, still inside. For nine days, Susan and her then-husband, David, made public pleas for the children’s safe return. However, on November 3, 1994, she confessed to letting her car roll into South Carolina’s John D. Long Lake with her children trapped inside.
In 1995, Susan was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. This week, the South Carolina Parole Board unanimously denied her request for release, a decision David Smith says he fully supports.
A Father’s Plea: “They Can’t Let Her Out”
Speaking to TODAY, David Smith made his position clear:“They can’t let her out — 30 years is just not enough. This wasn’t an accident or a tragic event where she didn’t mean to do it. She deliberately killed Michael and Alex.”
David revealed that during Susan’s trial, he grappled with his own thoughts of revenge.
“I used to sit there and look at the back of her head, thinking about killing her. Could I reach her before the officers stopped me? I wanted justice for my boys.”
Though he admits to forgiving her as part of his healing process, David remains firm that she has not shown true remorse.
“She’s never really been sorry for what she did. I don’t think she’ll ever be rehabilitated.”
Controversial Prison Record
While serving her sentence, Susan has faced multiple disciplinary infractions. These include drug use in 2010 and 2015, being caught with contraband in 1997, and inappropriate relationships with prison guards, leading to her transfer in 2000.
In 2015, Susan wrote a letter to a local newspaper, The State, defending her actions:
“Something went very wrong that night. I was not myself. I loved my boys. There was no motive; it was not a planned event. I am not the monster society thinks I am.”
However, David dismisses her statement as hollow and inconsistent with her actions.
Life After Tragedy
David, who has since remarried and become a father again, shared the lingering pain of losing his sons.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Michael and Alex. It could be a song on the radio or a quiet moment — it all comes rushing back.”
He also expressed fear at the thought of encountering Susan in public if she were ever released.
“I don’t ever want to run into her at a local Walmart or anywhere else. That thought terrifies me.”
A National Tragedy That Endures
Susan Smith’s crime shook the nation, not only for its cruelty but for the elaborate lie she constructed. By falsely accusing a Black man of carjacking, she played into racial stereotypes, further igniting public outrage.
David continues to fight for justice in memory of his sons, believing Susan should spend the rest of her life in prison.
“God gives us free will, and that was her choice that night. Nobody made it for her. She made the choice to murder Michael and Alex. And I’ll carry that loss with me forever.”
Parole Denied, Justice Served?
The parole board’s decision underscores the gravity of Susan Smith’s actions and reflects ongoing public sentiment against her release. With disciplinary issues and lingering questions about her rehabilitation, her future requests for parole may face similar denials.
For David Smith, the pain of losing Michael and Alex remains, but his determination to ensure Susan stays behind bars is unwavering.