By CLAY MURPHY
Union County Bureau

UNION, S.C. (7/25/95) -- If the Susan Smith trial ends as expected within the next several days, thousands of taxpayer dollars will be saved.

It is unclear, however, whether it will be Union County taxpayers who will see the savings from the relative brevity of the double-murder trial.

That's because the state Legislature has agreed to reimburse the county for most of the trial costs, but only if they exceed $250,000.

Reaching the $250,000 mark is unlikely, said county officials, considering the rapid pace of the court proceedings.

In fact, they believe the trial's total cost will come in somewhere in between $100,000 and $250,000.

"If I had to guess, that's what I would say," said Union County Supervisor Donnie Betenbaugh, who helped develop the cost estimates on which the state law is based.

So if the trial costs $260,000, the county pays only $100,000 and the state picks up the rest. But if the cost is $240,000, the county is responsible for the entire tab.

But Betenbaugh is quick to point out that he and most residents "don't want it to last a week longer to reach $250,000.

"I'm ready for it to be over," he said.

Initial estimates produced by the county said the trial would cost $333,400, if it lasted 10 weeks, as Judge William Howard had planned.

The estimate consisted of $150,000 to cover prosecution expenses and $183,400 to take care of the jury, bailiffs and necessary law enforcement officers.

It is not known how Solicitor Tommy Pope's costs will be affected by the short length of the Smith trial, but other expenses should go down significantly.

For instance:

-- The county had planned to pay $68,600 to house 18 sequestered jurors and their guards/law enforcement officers in 28 rooms at $35 a night. While the rates went up slightly, to $38, when the jurors shifted to a Spartanburg hotel, the overall cost should drop dramatically because of the fewer jurors, now 12, as well as the shorter trial.

-- Jurors' salaries were expected to cost $50,400, or $40 each per day for a 10-week period.

-- Meals for the jury and the law enforcement agents guarding them were to run $36,400, or $20 each per day.

-- Bailiffs, at $50 each a day, would have cost $24,000. State Law Enforcement Division agents have taken their places for security reasons.

-- Recreation for the jurors was expected to cost $5,000 for the duration of the trial and $2,000 was set aside for miscellaneous expenses. Both of these may be reduced as a result of the trial's length.

"We had planned for a worst-case scenario," said Betenbaugh, adding that the Union County Council included $400,000 in this year's budget -- before the state reimbursement plan was approved -- to cover the trial's costs.

The supervisor did not know what would be done with the money not used for the trial, saying it's "too early. That will be a council decision."

Clerk of Court June Miller said no matter the cost, the people of Union County "would prefer a shorter trial.

"I think everyone's ready for this to be over."

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