Post by Joanna on Jul 23, 2015 19:01:56 GMT -5
Susan Smith then and now
Mother Who Killed Children Says 'I'm Not a Monster'
COLUMBIA, S.C. – On the 20th anniversary of her conviction for murdering her two sons, Susan Smith is explaining herself from her prison cell. She wrote a letter to The State newspaper that was published Wednesday, July 22. Smith was convicted July 22, 1995, for killing 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex. In October 1994, she told police a black man had jumped into her car at an intersection in Union while the boys were in the car. The nation watched as she went on TV to plead for their safe return. "We love 'em. We miss 'em," she said. But then the truth came out – that Smith had driven to John D. Long Lake in Union County, put her car in neutral and let it roll into the lake while the boys were still strapped into their car seats.
In her letter to The State's reporter Harrison Cahill, she wrote:
Dear Mr. Cahill,
I know it is very late in writing you, but I wanted to still let you know that I did not receive your request for information until November 20, 2014, a month after the 20 year anniversary. Your letter was sent to the SCDC Correspondence Review Committee and was not approved until Nov. 19, 2014. I imagine that was done on purpose.
I wanted to let you know that I would have most likely responded to your letter because I have [sic] yet been able to speak on my behalf. It has been hard to listen to lie after lie and not be able to defend myself. It’s frustrating to say the least. Mr. Cahill, I am not the monster society thinks I am. I am far from it. Something went very wrong that night. I was not myself. I was a good mother and I loved my boys. The thing that hurts me the most is that people think I hurt my children in order to be with a man. That is so far from the truth. There was no motive as it was not even a planned event. I was not in my right mind. The only reason I lied is because I didn’t know how to tell the people who loved Michael & Alex that they would never see them again. I didn’t want to hurt them. I knew the truth would come out, but I had planned to kill myself first and leave a note behind telling what had happened. I didn’t believe I could face my family when the truth was revealed.
This is only a small piece of the story, but I did want to tell you that if you’re ever interested in doing another article, please let me know.
In the meantime, take care of yourself. In order for me to receive your mail quicker, put your name only on the envelope and don’t use company stationery. If you do, it’ll probably go to the review comm. again.
Sincerely,
Susan
Tommy Pope, who prosecuted Smith and got the two murder convictions, is now a state representative. After reading her letter in The State, he said it doesn't bring up anything new. "I think the biggest take-away I have from reading it is she continues to focus on Susan instead of focusing on Michael and Alex," he says.
Smith is serving a life sentence at Leath Correctional, a women's prison in Greenwood. She won’t be eligible for parole until 2024.
Source: WLTX News, July 23, 2015.
