Talk:Susan Smith

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indicating that Smith could not have put the car into the lake from the top of the boat ramp by releasing the Mazda's hand brake as alleged by the state because of a pre-existing mechanical flaw in the car's braking system

This isn't just "alledged by the state," it's in her own confession.Thanos6 12:59, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

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This article would be improved by clear information about the defense strategy and excuses given by Smith and those around her in the community...

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I am bothered by the fact that about half the space in the entry is devoted to what seems to be a fringe theory that she didn't do it. It seems totally disproportionate. Uucp 20:10, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

I concur. In a close-knit community, which I presume is the case here, that may not be all that unusual. But let's face it, she did confess...and I personally have heard no conspiracy theories or anything to indicate otherwise. Engr105th (talk) 22:56, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Beverly Russell

Smith's father-in-law's civic associations are notable because those organizations are outspoken in their defense of the "moral values" which Russell admittedly violated.--Son of Somebody 03:17, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

"She was spared the death penalty in a decision by her South Carolina jury, after her stepfather, Beverly Russell, a prominent Union County citizen, Republican Party and Christian Coalition leader, testified that he had sexually molested her when she was a teenager (until the intervention of the local Department of Social Services), and again in the months before the drowning of the two boys."

I'm not so sure about that conclusion. In the "crime library", http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/smith/phase_10.html , you can read, that the jury gave a different reason:

"Later when jurors were asked about their decision, they acknowledged that they knew of Sheriff Wells’ comments after Susan’s arrest. Wells had said that if Susan Smith had not confessed, investigators would probably not have been able to amass enough evidence to charge her with the crimes she committed. Jurors saw that Susan had an opportunity to escape punishment, yet she chose not to do so. The jury recognized this fact and considered it a reason to spare her life."

however, there is no clear source to these statements, yet leaves the part of the article at least to be questioned...

143.117.78.124 15:59, 26 January 2007 (UTC) G.Debus

[edit] WikiProject class rating

This article was automatically assessed because at least one article was rated and this bot brought all the other ratings up to at least that level. BetacommandBot 04:43, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Come again? 68.219.72.84 03:04, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Confession circumstances ?

Although I only dimly recall it, didn't the Sheriff have the lake searched (with divers, or maybe dragged) a week or several days before Susan's confession, and announce that they had found nothing? And didn't he receive some acolades for his handling of the case, afterwards? From what I recall (again, only my memory) the upshot was that without a confession, the authorities knew they could not disprove the nondescript-Black-hijacker story that Smith told. But to their credit they didn't haul in black males when there was motivation by Smith (her relationship with a wealthy lover) to commit the crime. Instead they played along til her emotions broke...
In a lot of crimes, sharp cops already have a good idea of what happened before they go public with info or forward with interrogations of suspects. If thats the case here, anybody know any sources?? Thanks....Engr105th (talk) 23:14, 11 January 2008 (UTC)