By CLAY MURPHY
Union County Bureau

UNION, S.C. (7/29/95) -- It took an hour and a half for 11 jurors to decide that Susan Smith should receive a life sentence, said one juror Friday evening. The next hour was spent convincing the remaining juror that the 23-year-old woman did not deserve to die.

"He really thought that's what she should get," said Leroy Belue Jr., of the male holdout. Belue was one of the few jurors to speak after the sentence was announced.

"We had to explain how she needed help," Belue said. "Everyone viewed the case from basically the same standpoint."

Fellow juror John Dunn agreed, saying few members of the panel supported a death penalty even in the beginning.

"Not many," he said. "The majority didn't want it."

Belue said most of the jurors believed defense lawyers' claims that Ms. Smith killed her children while trying to end her own life.

"Everyone pretty much thought she had tried to commit suicide," Belue said. "And that she failed in that attempt."

But Dunn said while he, too, pushed for the life sentence, he didn't "buy that it was a failed suicide."

Instead, Dunn said he felt sympathy for Ms. Smith because of her mental state during the crime. "She had problems," he said.

Both jurors said they were moved by David Smith's testimony about the loss of his children, but it wasn't enough to execute his wife.

"David Smith's testimony was heart-wrenching," Belue said. "But it was just one thing to consider."

Both he and Dunn said they were equally moved by the testimony about the young boys.

"It was kind of difficult to hear the testimony about the young children," Belue said. "But I think every juror saw that Susan needed help. Killing her wasn't going to bring Michael and Alex back. It wasn't going to help the community."

Dunn said the closeness of the Union community weighed into his decision to spare Ms. Smith's life. Nevertheless, he feels assured he would have done so no matter where he lived.

Dunn said he was most moved by the testimony of Ms. Smith's family.

"They were fighting to make sure she got a fair trial," he said. "They were basically trying to save her life."

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