", That was the bitter end of a tumultuous, too-early marriage. ``Thank you for being there for me through all the rough times. During one of their separations, Susan began having a relationship with Tom Findlay, who was known as one of the most eligible bachelors in Union. It was October 25, 1994, Susan was at work. The jury found otherwise -- a tacit recognition that the core issue was whether Smith was mentally ill. South Carolina's definition of insanity is one of the most restrictive in the nation: it did not permit Smith to plead not guilty by reason of insanity or, more plausibly, temporary, insanity. . On October 25, 1994, the Union native, who was 23 years old at the time, called the police and claimed an armed black man stole her car and drove off with her two sons inside. He is known to some local young women as "The Catch.". Such a position also gave her the chance to get close to her boss son, one of Unions most desired bachelors, Tom Findlay. The dramatic high pointcame when he read aloud from a letter he'd sent Susan on Father's Day, 1995, when she was already in prison. The town of 10,000 started the event following the Susan Smith murder trial to showcase its softer side," the Journal wrote. At the time, Tom didnt know, but she had sex with David; her stepfather, Bev Russell; and also her boss, who was Toms father. There was even an episode at the end of high school where Susan sought help from a school counselor. After she made emotional pleas on television for the safe return of her children, the incident gained worldwide media attention. And sometimes when her 5-year-old grandson says his prayers, he still says God bless Michael and Alex. Toms reaction was shock and he reiterated that the two would never have a sexual relationship again. According to a deposition taken in March in connection with Susan and David's divorce (which became final in May), soon after she began working at Conso Products in 1993, Susan took up with. SUSAN SMITH'S LETTER TO TOM FINDLAY Dear Tom, Just a note to say thank you for everything. But others, when they travel, won't say where they're from because they'd rather not answer questions. She is currently serving his sentence at Leath Correctional Institution in South Carolina. At 11 that night, Smith called Williams and said she wouldn't be at work the next day. Something went wrong and their Suburban rolled into the lake. I could never express in words how much you mean to me. ``For my first two years in Union, I dated very little. He broke it off sometime in March, Findlay said, after David Smith caught them talking on the phone and angrily warned him to stay away from Susan. As you can imagine, the sexual abuse continued and this time with more frequency. He finally understood that it all resulted from Susans desire to rebuild her relationship with Tom Findlay. ``I want you to know that I have never felt with anyone, the way I feel when Im with you. I know I did when we were messing around earlier this year. But at Patrick's shop, he keeps a pocket paperback of "Sins of the Mother," one of many books published on the Smith case. Findlay ended their relationship one week before Smith reported the. But unfortunately, it won't be me. And it brought her David Bruck. "I think you're involved in this thing," Caldwell told Smith in an interview that day. You will, without a doubt, make some lucky man a great wife. ``But dont be discouraged. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He told her to keep it: Smith was wearing the shirt when she drove her sons to the lake that evening. That poor. On one hand, I feel sorry for the guy because he got wrapped in this mess when he clearly stated he wanted nothing to do with the girl. I wont do that again. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Hours later, a co-worker called to ask if he had heard the news about Susan-- and Findlay's first thought was, "Oh my God, she's killed herself. "If they'd asked me, I'd have said drain the lake, shut the place down," says Cathy Allen, a Union teacher. She soon became pregnant and they decided to get married. "I had a bad day," he said Smith replied. Early this year, the state moved the monuments 50 yards from the water, to the wooded edge of the access road. Since she said there were no other cars on the road, there was no reason for her to see the red light. Susan gave the police the exact distance the car floated before sinking. Despite Davids protests, Susan Smith was spared the death sentence and received a 30-year prison sentence. . 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. (The divorce was granted after her arrest. And your friendship is one that I will always look upon with sincere affection. Smith had stood by his estranged wife during her nine-day charade, and he said he first heard about her confession on television. Miller saved videos of local newscasts and the Smiths' network interviews, and recently appeared in a Smith documentary for the Arts and Entertainment Network. ``Again, you will always have my friendship. ", The urge to kill in the name of justice poses infernally tricky issues-and the outcome in the Smith case may be the clearest evidence yet of America's persistent ambivalence about capital punishment. She was two months pregnant--the child was David's-when they were married on March 15, 1991. Nothing--not Smith's sad history or blighted hopes, nor any kind of victim chic-can explain that act away. I do. 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. She keeps business cards of reporters she may never see again. "She was crying--she was very upset," Findlay said. Smith and her husband, David Smith, filed for divorce in September 1994 and it was finalized in May 1995. TOM FINDLAY'S TESTIMONY: We have been raised in two totally different environments, and therefore, think totally different. ``I know how you feel about our relationship and I respect that. "We all felt like Susan was a really disturbed person," said juror Deborah Benvenuti. Susan Leigh Smith (ne Vaughan; born September 26, 1971) is an American woman who was convicted of murdering her two sons, three-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander, in 1994 by drowning them in a South Carolina lake. Williams asked again. Killing her sons was a horrifying act that bespeaks a personality crisis: at that moment, she must have been emotionally numb. Findlay said Smith was in a suicidal panic the day before her children disappeared because she feared her estranged husband, David Smith, was "going to make it public" that she had cheated on him with Russell, who was then active in the Christian Coalition and state Republican Party politics. . On the weekend of Oct. 15, Tom invited Susan to his father's estate for a hot-tub party. Russell, 48, was then active in South Carolina Republican politics and in Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition--but he is no longer, and the shattering disclosures triggered by his stepdaughter's prosecution are the reason. 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. , filed for divorce in September 1994 and it was finalized in May 1995. But just dont get seriously involved with anyone until you have done the things in life that you want to do, first. However, when he began to learn more details of the story, he came to his senses. But the marriage slowly un-raveled. David has stated that he will attend all parole hearings to try to keep Susan Smith in prison for the rest of her life. Then Susan told him she and David were going through with the divorce, Findlay said, and he resumed their affair. The prosecution's main weapon was tear-drenched testimony from a vengeful David Smith, who accepted a box of tissues from Judge William Howard. As I told you, I was starting to let my heart warm up to the idea of us going out as more than just friends. The solution for the moment seemed to be to buy a house, where everything would be different. Whether Smith is granted parole remains to be seen as she has not exactly been a model prisoner afterbeing found guilty of sexual misconduct in 2000with two prison guards. Due to a tumultuous marriage between her parents, full of aggression, they divorced when she was seven years old, and soon after, her father Harry, at the age of 37, committed suicide. I love writing and I also love criminal cases, nothing better than combining business with pleasure. The marriage was a step up: Susan and her brothers, Michael and Scotty, moved into a comfortable ranch house in Mount Vernon Estates, an upscale subdivision outside Union. Linda Russell told a social worker that Susan told her "Bev was sitting in the chair watching TV and Susan got in his lap and went to sleep." . . She was also sexually abused by her stepfather. One diver described seeing the little hand of one of the children pressed against a window. ``I do hope that we will be able to date some and be together again someday, but if we never made love again, my feelings for you would not change because having you as my friend is worth more than sex could ever be worth. All Rights Reserved. For court records, I would make a request to Union County if you cant find them online. Whether you are using plastic or fabric containers, Earthboxes, or even old buttercream buckets, there are a few important things to consider before planting. I will always treasure our friendship and all of the many wonderful memories we have made. Which is the lie? With Findlay, Susan finally believed she would be able to have some stability in her life but, she was mistaken. Around 8 pm, Susan, in desperation, puts her two children in the car. He said her family history was just "the abuse excuse.". 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. Fox Carolina The highway sign simply reads John D. Long Lake. 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. ". This happened when David and Susan's marriage was in jeopardy and had already filed for divorce. Russell signed a statement admitting his conduct and the family sought counseling-but Susan and her mother said they didn't want to prosecute. They were from Union County, so the community not only grieved again, but wondered what it had done to deserve so much pain. On top of that, Ms. Smith later said that a cause of her depression was her breakup with Conso employee Tom . Findlay said his relationship with Smith then took confusing turns in the days before Smith killed her children. 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