# Woman gets eight years for murdering son **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 6, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792 "2010-09-06T13:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/21 "2010-09-07T20:49:38Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I’ve followed the story since it happened, and there haven’t been a lot more facts made public than were in the article. And I agree that the prosecution might have had trouble with a murder conviction, and were willing to go for a lesser charge, but eight years was the best they could do, wow. . . > > And since Susan Smith was brought up, it’s possibly worth mentioning that just before Susan Smith’s case went to trial, there was another highly-publicized child murder case in the state, although it didn’t get any national attention. A woman took her handicapped (CP) stepson somewhere and clobbered him in the head with a brick or something. The hapless father sat in prison for months, because he was the suspect, and he wouldn’t speak out against his wife. Anyway, he got out, and she got life. Once that verdict was announced, it was assumed that Susan Smith would probably also get life. Wait until they try the woman who just smothered her kids and rolled the car into a lake. The circus is going to be unbelievable and all you’re going to hear from dawn till dusk is “Susan Smith, Susan Smith!” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/22 "2010-09-07T20:59:31Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Sidebar, please: what’s an Alford plea? [Let’s ask **Bricker**.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2220/whats-the-difference-between-guilty-and-no-contest) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/23 "2010-09-07T22:29:43Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > So why have prisons at all? I mean, yeah, seriously…she only killed _one_ person. Odds are she probably won’t kill _another_ one—why go to the expense of putting her in prison for a fluke? This could be better served with a[simple fine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weregild) to cover the investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/24 "2010-09-07T22:46:57Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > > [@spark240](#): > > > > So why have prisons at all? > > I mean, yeah, seriously…she only killed _one_ person. Odds are she probably won’t kill _another_ one—why go to the expense of putting her in prison for a fluke? This could be better served with a[simple fine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weregild) to cover the investigation. Good idea for a great debate. We sure do look at prisons as the answer to a lot of things it’s not the answer to. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/25 "2010-09-08T01:00:26Z")
I think I need start thinking about founding that cult, again… ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/26 "2010-09-08T01:31:55Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > > [@spark240](#): > > > > So why have prisons at all? > > I mean, yeah, seriously…she only killed _one_ person. Odds are she probably won’t kill _another_ one—why go to the expense of putting her in prison for a fluke? This could be better served with a[simple fine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weregild) to cover the investigation. No, no, only the rich and famous can murder and only pay a fine. See OJ. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/27 "2010-09-08T12:42:49Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > I think I need start thinking about founding that cult, again… Will it involve a special team of “avenging angels” enforcing “blood atonement”? 'Cause I just might join this one. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/28 "2010-09-08T23:09:23Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > > [@Ranchoth](#): > > > > I think I need start thinking about founding that cult, again… > > Will it involve a special team of “avenging angels” enforcing “blood atonement”? 'Cause I just might join this one. Hey, “There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins…whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world.”-Brigham Young And I’m already a sci-fi hack, so I’ve got that in my official qualifications for convincing potential cultists of damnfool ideas. Plus I’ll have colored robes. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/29 "2010-09-09T00:25:01Z")
I read some more on this case and it does seem that the case against this woman is not strong enough. Go Google it. There’s a lot of stuff that I would guess a smart lawyer could put enough doubt into a jury’s head. Even I started to wonder a bit. Also women who commit crimes against kids don’t have it easy in prison either. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/30 "2010-09-10T03:10:23Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > No, no, only the rich and famous can murder and only pay a fine. See OJ. O.J. was acquitted in his murder case and did not pay a fine. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792/31 "2010-09-10T12:09:51Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > > > No, no, only the rich and famous can murder and only pay a fine. See OJ. > > O.J. was acquitted in his murder case and did not pay a fine. Yes. But the acquittal was due to jury nullification, many people doubt that he is factually innocent, and the civil judgment against him served a similar purpose to a fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-eight-years-for-murdering-son/552792.md?page=1)