In Unanimous Decision, Susan Smith Denied Parole

A parole board decided unanimously Wednesday that Susan Smith should remain in prison, despite her plea that God has forgiven her for killing her two young sons 30 years ago by rolling her car into a South Carolina lake while they were strapped in their car seats. It was the first parole hearing for Smith, 53, who is serving a life sentence after a jury convicted her of murder but decided to spare her of the death penalty. Under state law at the time, she is eligible for a parole hearing every two years now that she has spent 30 years behind bars, reports the AP. More:

• Smith makes her case: When she began to speak via video link from prison, she started to say she was "very sorry," then broke down in tears and bowed her head. "I know what I did was horrible," Smith said, pausing and then continuing with a wavering voice. "And I would give anything so I could change it."
• A question: The parole board asked Smith about the law enforcement resources used to try to locate her children. In reply, she told the board she was "just scared" and "didn't know how to tell them."

• Her final statements: Smith appealed to her Christian faith, saying, "God is a big part of my life." God has forgiven her, Smith said. "I ask that you show that kind of mercy, as well," she said. Prosecutors have long said that Smith killed 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex because a man she was having an affair with suggested the boys were the reason they didn't have a future together.
• From her attorney: Before Smith testified, she stoically listened to a statement from her attorney, Tommy Thomas. He called her situation one about "the dangers of untreated mental health." She had several mental health issues as a teenager that went unchecked to produce "horrendous results," Thomas said. He also referenced that she had no criminal history before her conviction, making her "low risk" to the public.
• From her ex: A group of about 15 people urged against parole, including her ex-husband and the father of the boys, David Smith; his family members; prosecutors; and law enforcement officials. Along with a few others, David Smith had a photo of Michael and Alex pinned to his suit jacket. He struggled to get out words at first, pausing several times to compose himself. Susan Smith had "free choice," he said, and 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. I'm asking that you please, deny her parole today, and hopefully in the future, but specifically today."
• The math: A decision to grant parole requires a two-thirds vote of board members present at the hearing, according to the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. Parole in South Carolina is granted only about 8% of the time and is less likely with an inmate's first appearance before the board, in notorious cases, or when prosecutors and the families of victims are opposed.

(More Susan Smith stories.)