come in a split second, but not in time to save the
children. The prosecution countered by producing
documentation of an extramarital affair that had re-
cently failed because her lover did not want chil-
dren. Smith, in her desperation to salvage this rela-
tionship, made the cool, calculated decision to
eliminate the obstacles, namely Michael and Alex.
After a brief deliberation, the jury agreed with the
prosecution’s theory and convicted Smith on two
counts of murder but spared her from the death
penalty. She received a sentence of thirty years to life
and will be eligible for parole in 2025.
Impact Susan Smith’s fabrications and eventual
confession captivated a national audience and left a
small town in turmoil over false accusations, sexual
impropriety, and murder. The principal fallout in-
cluded a book written by her ex-husband and con-
firmed revelations that her stepfather, a leader in
South Carolina’s Republican Party and Christian
Coalition, had sexually molested her on numerous
occasions.
Further Reading
Rekers, George.Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer.
Lakewood, Colo.: Glenbridge, 1996.
Smith, David, with Carol Calef.Beyond All Reason: My
Life with Susan Smith. New York: Kensington
Books, 1995.
Henr y W. Mannle
See also Crime; Klaas kidnapping and murder
case; Psychology; Race relations; Ramsey murder
case; Wuornos, Aileen Carol.
Smith, Will
Identification American rap artist and actor
Born September 25, 1968; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
Smith became an award-winning rap artist, television star,
and blockbuster movie star during the 1990’s.
Willard Christopher “Will” Smith, Jr., who was pro-
fessionally known as the rap artist the Fresh Prince
during the 1980’s, catapulted to stardom during the
1990’s. On September 10, 1990, Smith made his tele-
vision debut on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) sitcomThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The comedy
followed the exploits of Smith’s character, who as a
Philadelphia teenager was sent by his mother to live
with his wealthy relatives in Los Angeles, California.
The sitcom remained popular with television audi-
ences for the six seasons it was broadcast on NBC
and ended only because Smith wanted to pursue
other interests.
In 1992, the aspiring actor made his motion-
picture debut inWhere the Day Takes You. In 1993, he
starred inMade in Americawith Ted Dansen and
Whoopi Goldberg. That same year, Smith starred in
Six Degrees of Separation, a drama that many Holly-
wood critics considered his breakout film. Released
in 1995, the successful action-comedy filmBad Boys
gave Smith his first action hero role and grossed
$140 million worldwide. In 1996, Smith earned
superstar status after starring in the blockbuster
science-fiction film Independence Day. The film
earned more than $96 million within the first six
days of its release and a total of $306.1 million by the782 Smith, Will The Nineties in America
Will Smith wins the award for best rap video for “Gettin’ Jiggy wit
It” during the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.(AP/Wide
World Photos)