She was told to press charges, which she refused to do. When Susan Smith's ex-boyfriend Tom Findlay climbed onto the witness stand Wednesday afternoon, he glanced quickly at her and smiled kindly. "I asked her what's wrong," Williams said. This is "a difficult letter to write because I know how much you think of me . The contempt for Susan was overwhelming, not only because of the racial tension triggered by the false accusation of a black man, but because her motive was extremely futile and selfish: to get rid of her children in order to maintain a relationship with a rich man. He has turned to his part so often the spine is creased. In a last effort to control Toms feelings, she asked her friend to watch the children while she went to Toms office to tell him that everything she had said was nothing but a big lie. I would hate for people to perceive you as an unreputable [sic] person. Caso Criminal 2023 - All rights reserved. Smiling nervously and occasionally stumbling over his words, Findlay described an emotionally volatile Smith days before she sent her car rolling into the lake with her children strapped in their car seats. . 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman Is a Proud Mom of 14: See Her Kids Today! Susan Smith's nervous paramour cast doubt today on charges that she killed her children to pursue their romance, saying Smith's anguish actually stemmed from a recent affair with her own stepfather. On the outside everything looked good, but Susan carried with her a big family secret. These evil perverts should be castrated (preferably with a blunt knife). David Smith worked in the store as a produce clerk. So, where are all of the key players now, including the woman at the center of it all? He relocated to another city and runs an art business using his first and middle name. The letter gave reasons justifying the end of the relationship. Despite the family turmoil, the child was long-awaited and loved. SC State House Tom Findlay, get over yourself..youre really not all that attractive anyway. Something went very wrong that night. This happened when David and Susan's marriage was in jeopardy and had already filed for divorce. Susan was already familiar with such a situation and she was able to comfort David in the following months. Susan stood by and watched until the car was completely submerged. Around 8 pm, Susan, in desperation, puts her two children in the car. Send it to us! Findlay, a slight, balding graphic designer, appeared to exchange a quick half-smile with Smith from the stand during a break in his testimony about their brief fling, which he said began around Christmastime of 1993 and ended the following March when David Smith angrily warned him to stay away from his wife. However, he said in an interview last year that there are still hard days, particularly on his boys birthdays and around the anniversary of their death. I do. Susan may say that she wouldnt care (copy unintelligible) husband had an affair, but you and I know, that is not true. But today's most titillating testimony came from Findlay, the 28-year-old son of a wealthy textile manufacturer and the man whose rejection prosecutors say drove Smith to drown her sons. However, a letter sent by Tom Findlay took Susan by surprise. "Every time we think it's all behind us, it comes up again," says June Miller, Union County's longtime clerk of court. ``Anyhow, as I have already told you, you are a very special person. Susan Smith's most intense extramarital affair was with a newfound employee at Conso Products in 1993. During her trial, Susans stepfather, testified that he had sexually molested his stepdaughter when she was a teenager and again in the months leading up to her drowning the boys. Susan Smith Trial: 1995 Defendant: Susan SmithCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: David Bruck and Judy ClarkeChief Prosecutor: Tommy PopeJudge: . But her composure crumbled when the diver who found her two small sons in her car at the bottom of John D. Long Lake took the stand. I can see this may be a bit difficult for you because you are a bit boy crazy, but as the proverb states `good things come to those who wait. I am not saying you shouldnt go out and have a good time. In. He told her he felt like some kind of pervert when it happened." So is Sheriff Howard Wells, whose office wall is crowded with photographs and certificates of gratitude, not only for his integrity, but for coming across on camera as a noble representative of Union and South Carolina. After picking up her children from nursery, she stopped to chat with a friend in a parking lot and expressed her fears about Toms reaction now that he knew she had slept with his father. What the jurors heard was the fullest account yet of why she did it--and in the end, confronted with the pathos of it all, they decided both sides were right. It seemed to be the first time she had ever been rejected by a man. I am shocked how nobody speaks of him yet he casued so much harm by modeling Susan at 15 AND kept on having sex with Susan his dauther after Susan got maried. But just dont get seriously involved with anyone until you have done the things in life that you want to do, first. This didnt seem to work, so she told him about the supposed affair with her boss, also Toms father, and warned him that the details of the relationship might come to light during the next few days. Susan herself is now in prison after being found guilty of the murders of her children in July 1995. ``For my first two years in Union, I dated very little. At the time of the murders, Susan and David were separated and David was working at the Winn-Dixie in Union where he met his now wife, Tiffany. Williams testified about a conversation with Susan Smith on Oct. 17, eight days before the murders: "I have a problem," Smith said. They argued there was no evidence, as the defense claimed, that Smith had driven to the lake to commit suicide. I know I did when we were messing around earlier this year. ``Thank you for being there for me through all the rough times. Pastors who together counseled the inconsolable community became close friends. . I wont do that again. Susan and David Smith were married on March 15, 1991 and moved into Davids great-grandmothers home; the two could not afford to buy a house. "There is no good outcome in this case," he said. She keeps business cards of reporters she may never see again. Allen, for one, doesn't need reminders. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20358219,00.html She said she wanted to kill herself and her children, but in the end she got out of the car and sent the boys to their deaths. I want you to know that I have never felt with anyone, the way I feel when I'm with you. TOM FINDLAY'S TESTIMONY: So it was Susan Smith's claim that drove her to murder her two sons. "But forgive--that's something I'm going to have to deal with, I guess, further on down the road. Susan Smith's attorney, David Bruck, summed up the case as bad for all, calling it "an awful human tragedy." Join the world's news leader for an in-depth multimedia look at the top news stories of 1995. . In her confession, she stated that she wanted to die and was going to her mothers house, but she gave up. Anyhow, my advice to you is to wait and be very choosy about your next relationship. She is currently based at the Leath Correctional Institution near Greenwood, South Carolina. . By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. . David never questioned the paternity of the child despite their separation. But what can we do to help? also pleaded guilty to having sex with Smith and was sentenced to five years probation. . Jurors in Susan Smith's murder trial heard the words written by an ex-boyfriend that prosecutors say drove the young mother to kill her two sons: ``I just don't want children.'' In a letter to Smith written a week before 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex were drowned in a lake, Tom Findlay described her as ``intelligent, beautiful, There is someone out there for you. During the marriage, Smith had several affairs, and in August, 1993, after the birth of her second son, she hooked up with her wealthy boss, Tom Findlay. Jurors heard Smith's love letters read aloud and watched a videotaped television interview Smith gave shortly after reporting that her two toddlers had been kidnapped by a black carjacker last Oct. 25. The mom of two made headlines at the time of the news due to her shocking motive and she has since been behaving herself behind bars, which means she could soon be a free woman. She will be eligible for parole in 2025 when she is 53 years old. Many sent her flowers after the trial. Crime.About.com Idania Pena sent a letter from Miami: "In loving memory of two beautiful creatures that perished in the hands of the person they most trusted: their own mother. She asks the sheriff to pray with her, then confesses to the murders and tells police where to find the boys. She seemed exhausted by the situation and desperate for help. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Susan Smiths childhood was disturbing. Tom didnt even let Susan start talking. ". He said her family history was just "the abuse excuse.". On November 3, 1994, David and Susan appeared on the CBS This Morning program and David expressed his full support for Susan and her story about the kidnapping. They courted Walt Disney, which is building a catalog distribution warehouse in Union County; more than 300 people will get jobs. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. He even admitted to having sexual encounters with Susan as recently as August 1994, less than three months before she killed her sons. The mom of two made headlines at the time of the news due to her shocking motive and she has since been behaving herself behind bars, which means she could soon be a free woman. Her descent began with the divorce of her parents in 1977, when Susan was 6 years old. ``One more thing before I go, please dont ever hesitate to call me if you ever need anything! In March 1992, the couple separates, and they try to save their marriage between comings and goings during the next seven months. A team of state psychiatrists certified that Smith was competent to stand trial. ", This smarmy rejection threw Smith into panic. A letter. Smith's mother and stepfather are still around. The emerging facts of her chaotic life--her father's suicide, her molestation by her politically prominent stepfather, her failed marriage and the tabloid prurience of her repeated love affairs-seemed to make her a symbol of small-town decadence. On top of that, Ms. Smith later said that a cause of her depression was her breakup with Conso employee Tom . "I think you're involved in this thing," Caldwell told Smith in an interview that day. According to Findlay, Smith claimed: * that her husband was tapping her phone and having her followed; * that she had had an affair with Findlay's father; * that she made up the story of the affair with the elder Findlay to test his son's feelings for her; * that she was considering having an affair with the husband of a good friend; * that she had had an affair with Beverly Russell and David Smith was going to publicize it. She is currently serving his sentence at Leath Correctional Institution in South Carolina. ``I know how you feel about our relationship and I respect that. UNION, S.C., July 25 -- A sobbing Susan Smith apologized Tuesday to her ex-husband for killing their children after he twice broke down in tears while testifying in the sentencing phase of her. The letter is dated Oct. 17, 1994. And it brought her David Bruck. TRUE CRIME - CURRENT TRIALS, OLD or COLD CASES, Harvest Delicious Red Tomatoes with Red Rocket in Hot Climates South of Memphis, Tomatoes are a popular and versatile crop that can be grown in many climates, but it is important to choose the right variety for your climate. ", It was not her loss alone. ", No other details of the purported affair between Russell and Smith were disclosed, and defense attorney David Bruck underscored the revelation on cross-examination, asking, "She had had a relationship with her own stepfather, Bev Russell?". Im sure that your kids are good kids, but it really wouldnt matter how good they may be the fact is, I just dont want children. Although prosecutors sought the death penalty, Susan was sentenced to life in prison. According to sources close to the case, Susan has said she became jealous when Tom began necking with another woman. ", To prosecutors, Findlay's emphasis on the children was Smith's motive for murder. Some are proud to belong to a community that refused to wither in the spotlight. These feelings may change one day, but I doubt it. Excerpts from a letter Susan Smith wrote to Tom Findlay on Oct. 17, and his reply, written the same day and given to her Oct. 18. Despite Davids protests, Susan Smith was spared the death sentence and received a 30-year prison sentence. You will without a doubt make some lucky man a great wife. But then Laura came along. Susan Smith chose to do the worst thing a mother can do and covered it up, Pope argued, pushing for the death penalty. On Oct. 17, according to Findlay, Smith gave him a greeting card and a handwritten letter accepting their breakup with equanimity and pledging her eternal friendship, saying, "I will always love and care for you the rest of my life. Since she said there were no other cars on the road, there was no reason for her to see the red light. The judge took into consideration the abuse suffered by the defendant. I could never express in words how much you mean to me. If a mother who deliberately drowns her children in a pique over a failed romance doesn't deserve to die, who does? ``It is 11:50 p.m. and I am getting very sleepy. , whose father owned the mill she worked at. But I wanted to write you this letter because you are the one who is always making the effort for me, and I wanted to return the friendship. The first step is to understand the causes of climate change and how we can reduce our impact on the environment. Despite the comings and goings of their marriage, they were always present in the upbringing and education of their children. She worried about her hair and makeup in front of the television cameras and sometimes asked about Tom Findlays whereabouts. However, RST 106 on large potato leaved types did well when grown in grow bags. They were screaming, weren't they, and that's why you killed them?" And I want you to know that I am flattered that you have such a high opinion of me. Linda, Susans mother, always consented to the borrowing, but on the other hand, she felt entitled to guide the couples life, mainly in the aspects related to Michaels upbringing. I dont blame him for declining interviews and book deals and disappearing. "Fussy or singing, fussy or happy, which one is it? Nothing--not Smith's sad history or blighted hopes, nor any kind of victim chic-can explain that act away. There was even an episode at the end of high school where Susan sought help from a school counselor. Follow me on Instagram down below. Her attitude toward the kidnapping of her children was extremely exaggerated. Smith's lawyer, David Bruck, answered with Christ's defense of the adulterous wife in the Gospel according to John. The familiar landmarks remain: the courthouse on Main Street, where Smith stood trial for her life; her small brick house on Toney Road (a nurse's aide now rents it from Smith's mother); Conso Products, the decorative-trim factory where Smith worked as a secretary. The idea that she would kill her . And Susan Smith thought she had him hooked. However, nine days later, she admitted that she had pushed the car into Lake John D. Long, drowning her sons, Michael, 3, and Alexander, 14 months, who were strapped into the car seats. What got into Susan Smith's mind that night, only the devil knows. Yet nobody talks about his guy or where he is or what other girls he has been doing. This compact, bushy plant produces bright red tomatoes that ripen early in the season. As you can imagine, the sexual abuse continued and this time with more frequency. "We'll never really be the same. The case appeared tailor made for an ambitious young prosecutor like Tommy Pope, who rejected repeated suggestions that he let Smith plead guilty in return for life in prison. Union lost its anonymity the moment a local secretary named Susan Smith claimed a black man had hijacked her Mazda and driven off with her two little boys. The following year, prison captain Alfred Rowe also pleaded guilty to having sex with Smith and was sentenced to five years probation. Today on #CrimeStories: By the late summer of 1994, Susan told the defense's psychiatrists, she was sexually involved with four different men--Bey Russell, David Smith, Tom Findlay and Tom's father, Cary. The couple asked Linda for another loan to buy a property, but what was supposed to bring happiness only left Susan more and more distant. "We agreed the intimate part of our relationship should be postponed till she was divorced," Findlay testified. Smith, now 26, is in prison in Columbia; she was sentenced in 1995 to life in prison and must serve at least 30 years. They contacted two of the nation's largest newspapers, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, to suggest a news item. " Susan became famous for the brutality and coldness with which she killed her two children. This irritated David. You are one of the few people on this earth that I feel I can tell anything. Take an eye for an eye, prosecutor Tommy Pope urged the jury. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and its effects can be seen all around us. Even in the face of all the facts, David seemed to have some compassion for Susan. However, although she was sentenced to life in prison, she is up for parole in 2024. . night and would take it back in a (heart-shaped design) beat if I could. In the past nine years, Smith has been disciplined at least five times, including self-mutilation and the use and possession of narcotics or marijuana. With all of the crazy, mixed-up things that take place in this world today, I just dont have the desire to bring another life into it. However, some feel it will never be forgotten. During the 1995 trial, Lindasthen husband Beverly Russell, Susans stepfather, admitted to molesting Susan when she was 15 and continuing to have sex with her after she was married with the last time being in August of 1994, two months before the murders. In Touch Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Brown (reportedly friend Benjy Brown), of course you have to make your own decisions in life, but remember you have to live with the consequences also. I was not myself, she wrote in a letter to The State in 2015. If you want to catch a nice guy like me one day, you have to act like a nice girl. Michael was born in 1991, Alex followed in 1993 and Susan gave every appearance of being a doting mother. . To help restore its pride, Union leaders last year started a weekend festival. Either way, before you settle down with anyone again, there is something you need to do. Nothing gives away what happened there the clear, cool night of Oct. 25, 1994. He noted that as good as Smiths children may be, the fact was he did not want any children. Just dont get seriously involved with anyone again, there is something you need to.. Time, and its effects can be seen all around us certified that Smith was spared the penalty... He has been doing you can imagine, the fact was he did not want children! Woman at the Leath Correctional Institution near Greenwood, South Carolina abuse continued this... Would take it back in a pique over a failed romance does n't deserve to die and was to. 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