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Convicted South Carolina child killer Susan Smith cited for talking to filmmaker weeks before possible parole

Lyn Riddle, The State (Columbia, S.C.) on

Published in News & Features

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A month before she is eligible for parole, Susan Smith was convicted of an internal disciplinary charge for talking with a filmmaker about murdering her two young sons 30 years ago.

Smith, 53, becomes eligible for parole Nov. 4, but the date has not been scheduled. About 6% of parole applications are approved.

Smith, who has been imprisoned at Leath Correctional Institution for most of those 30 years, was charged Aug. 26 with communicating with a victim and/or witness and convicted at an internal hearing on Oct. 3.

She lost her telephone, tablet and canteen privileges for 90 days, beginning Oct. 4.

Smith frequently uses the tablet to make phone calls, according to recordings The State obtained through the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.

The calls received involved at least three men talking about such mundane subjects as how to fix cars and movies they liked to their gushing over what a great person she is.

“You’re such a good looking woman, that’s pretty obvious but your personality you care about people,” one man said.

In a 2023 call, Smith said she hoped her prison time was coming to an end. Her ex-husband David Smith, father of the sons Smith killed, has vowed to fight against her ever being freed.

In a recent interview with Court TV, Smith said it was “absurd” to think he would support her release and he intends to remind the parole board of who the victims are, his sons, Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months.

In September 1994, Susan Smith reported a Black man carjacked her and drove off with her sons. Nine days later, she confessed to letting her car roll into John D. Long Lake. The recent prison disciplinary hearing revealed Smith agreed to give the filmmaker contact information for friends, family and victims, including David Smith.

The filmmaker deposited money into Smith’s account, SCDC said.

Chrysti Shain, spokesperson for SCDC said in an email, “Inmates in the custody of the S.C. Department of Corrections are not allowed to do interviews on the telephone or in person. They may write letters.”

Tablets have been provided to inmates for about five years and are used for calls and messages, all monitored by SCDC.

“The department will determine when and if inmate Smith will earn the opportunity to be issued a tablet again,” Shain said.

 

In the calls The State received, Smith sounds almost like a schoolgirl, laughing and chuckling with the men and calls them babe and tells them she loves them.

In one, a man said, “I’ve never had phone sex until you pulled me in,” and called her “extremely fascinating.”

In another, Smith thanks a man for sending money to her prison account.

Portions of the recordings are redacted. Shain said most often redactions include information about health issues, an inmate’s or others.

In one recording, a man tells Susan their conversations have been provided to the media and Susan seems surprised, even though each call begins with a warning that the calls are monitored.

“We’ve just got to be careful,” the man said.

In another call, Smith said, “I’m so sad the Redskins had to change their name.”

The infraction this month was the first in 10 years for Smith. She has twice been charged with having drugs and once for mutilation, according to online SCDC records.

Two correctional officers were charged with having sex with Smith and one, Alfred Rowe, recently told News Nation she does not deserve to be paroled. He was sentenced to probation.

The other, Houston Cagle, pleaded guilty for these charges and spent three months in prison.

She has worked a number of prison jobs including wardkeeper, groundskeeper and teacher assistant.

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©2024 The State. Visit at thestate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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