Union newsstand thrives with Smith as cover story (8/6/95) -- For the past nine months, Kerhulas Newsstand has acted as the barometer of Union's interest in the Susan Smith story.
Memorial to Alex and Michael Smith to be installed at lake By the end of this month two granite memorials honoring Alex and Michael Smith will be in place along the eastern shore of John D. Long Lake.
A killer's only confidant: the man who caught Susan Smith (8/4/95) -- The case of a lifetime is closed for Howard Wells.
Union sheriff signs deal that may lead to movie (8/3/95) -- Union County Sheriff Howard Wells has agreed to sell the rights to the story of his life, focusing on his handling of the Susan Smith tragedy.
David Smith's uncle recalls his nephew's grief (7/30/95) -- Doug Smith, an uncle from Michigan who never met the little boys, recalls the family's grief during the three days before the boys were buried.
Union won't forget, but looks ahead (7/30/95) -- It will take days to set this town right. But it will take years to remove the Susan Smith trial from residents' thoughts.
Susan Smith gets life in prison (7/29/95) -- Susan Smith's family broke into smiles and bittersweet tears of relief Friday when a jury spared her from execution.
David Smith: 'I want to see that life means life for Susan' (7/29/95) -- David Smith said if he could speak to Susan Smith now he would tell her this: "I'm glad I'm not in your shoes. I'm glad I don't have to spend the rest of my life knowing I'm the one convicted of murdering Michael and Alex."
Jurors think Smith 'needed help,' didn't deserve death penalty (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.
Smith verdict met with mixed reaction in Union (7/29/95) -- A crowd of about 200 people gathered outside the Union County Courthouse to learn if Susan Smith would live or die Friday. And when the verdict was read -- life -- they reacted with mixed emotions.
Smith's stepfather says he failed as parent (7/28/95) -- Susan Smith's stepfather came out of seclusion Thursday to tell the world that he feels partially responsible for the deaths of Michael and Alex Smith.
Family members rent house where Susan lived (7/28/95) -- The closed drapes, dark windows and silence at the house where Susan Smith lived with her two little boys has been replaced by the sounds of children.
N.C. artist pictures Alex and Michael Smith as angels about the lake (7/28/95) -- A North Carolina man said a January visit to John D. Long Lake inspired him to paint an angelic scene featuring Alex and Michael Smith.
Notes from Union (7/28/95) -- The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson has sent a letter to two Union ministers asking them to pray that Susan Smith's life be spared. Also, David Smith will be on ABC's "20/20" television show tonight at 10 p.m. discussing his relationship with his ex-wife Susan Smith.
Witness says divorce tension sent Susan Smith over the edge (7/27/95) -- A bitter turn of events in the divorce of Susan and David Smith threw the young mother into a downward spiral that ended with the deaths of their children, a defense expert testified Wednesday.
Demand high for David Smith's book (7/27/95) -- Many Upstate booksellers were caught short by the early release of David Smith's book, "Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith."
Union's second Susan V. Smith says people now notice her infamous name (7/27/95) -- A librarian at the University of South Carolina in Union said her name drew little attention before last Oct. 25. But now, it is different.
Notes from Union (7/27/95) -- Gospel singer John G. Weathers was in Union earlier this week promoting the sale of a prayer and music he has produced in honor of Michael and Alex. Also, people seeking access to the Union County Courthouse had to follow a new routine Wednesday morning.
'I'm so sorry, David' (7/26/95) -- A grief-stricken David Smith brought a hushed courtroom to tears Tuesday as he recounted the moment he learned his wife killed their children.
A father's grief overwhelms court spectators (7/26/95) -- Margaret Kennedy came to the Union County Courthouse Tuesday for just another day in the Susan Smith trial. But the Union woman left overwhelmed by a father's grief.
'One question left -- life or death' (7/25/95) -- The worst thing a jury could do to Susan Smith now is say she didn't love her children, her lawyer said Monday.
Speed of Smith trial will save taxpayers thousands of dollars (7/25/95) -- If the Susan Smith trial ends as expected within the next several days, thousands of taxpayer dollars will be saved.
Legal experts say murder trials move swiftly in S.C. (7/24/95) -- South Carolina legal experts say the speedy pace of the Susan Smith double murder trial is normal in a state where death penalty cases rarely last more than two weeks.
Jurors find Smith guilty of murders (7/23/95) -- Susan Smith bowed her head in tears while her ex-husband, David Smith, gave a solemn look skyward Saturday when a jury convicted her of murdering their sons Oct. 25 in a nearby lake.
Smith family pleased with verdict (7/23/95) -- David Smith's family was pleased with the guilty verdict a jury returned Saturday against Susan Smith for the drownings of their sons last fall in a Union County lake.
Most compelling testimony yet to come (7/23/95) -- Although Susan Smith has been found guilty of murder, some say the most compelling testimony is yet to come. That's because the same jury who convicted her must now decide whether the 23-year-old woman deserves life in prison or to die in the electric chair.
Psychiatrist says Smith's depression drove her to suicide attempt (7/22/95) -- After four days of hearing about Susan Smith's troubled relationships, bouts with depression and chilling confession, a jury will likely consider today whether to convict her of drowning her sons.
Crowds drawn to courthouse to catch glimpse of murder trial (7/22/95) -- The personal and lurid details now being revealed in the Susan Smith double-murder trial are packing the courtroom and bringing the crowds back to Union's Main Street. Many of the people who come say they just want a glimpse of the cast members in one of the most sensational murder trials in South Carolina history.
Susan Smith's lawyer vs. the electric chair (7/21/95) -- David Bruck is not at all flamboyant, and his soft voice does not always make it to the far reaches of a courtroom. Although courteous and pleasant in one-on-one conversation, he has only a modest talent for banter. He might not be the one to liven up a backyard barbecue.
Defense paints bleak Smith family tree (7/21/95) -- Susan Smith's life was dominated by depression and thoughts of suicide, witnesses testified in her double-murder trial Thursday.
Diver recounts seeing boy's hand in window (7/20/95) -- Susan Smith buried her head in her hand and sobbed violently as a diver told the jury about seeing her dead son's hand pressed against the glass of her submerged car.
Man charged in bomb threat (7/20/95) -- A 44-year-old Anderson man has been charged with making a bomb threat that caused court officials to cut short the Susan Smith trial Tuesday.
Testimony attracts spectators (7/20/95) -- Dozens of spectators are now turning up at the Union County Courthouse as the Susan Smith trial enters a phase of rapid, interesting testimony.
Defense: Smith 'snapped' night of murders (7/19/95) -- Susan Smith "snapped" the night she allowed her sleeping children to plunge to their deaths without her, a defense lawyer said during opening arguments Tuesday. "It was a failed suicide," said Smith's lawyer Judy Clarke. But prosecutors contend Smith thought of her children as obstacles to her relationship with a wealthy boyfriend.
Wells: Bomb threat an apparent prank (7/19/95) -- Linda Greer had feared for months that someone would park a truck filled with explosives outside of her window at the Union County Courthouse. But when a bomb threat rolled in Tuesday afternoon, the deputy clerk in the probate judge's office was surprisingly calm.
Expelled juror says actions were accidental (7/19/95) -- The woman who was expelled from the Susan Smith jury and jailed on a contempt of court charge said Tuesday that her actions were accidental and misunderstood by Judge William Howard.
Smith: My children are not all right (7/18/95) -- The investigators who exposed Susan Smith's lie said they have never seen anyone as remorseful after a confession, and they told her she didn't deserve to die.
Juror dismissed for criminal record (7/18/95) -- The judge expelled a woman juror in the Susan Smith case Monday after he discovered she had a federal conviction. Then he locked her up because she had allowed her daughter to fill out her jury questionnaire.
Union people want to dispel myths (7/18/95) -- The people of Union were given a chance Monday to clear up some misperceptions of their community on national television ... and they took it.
Smith case puts focus on clinical depression (7/17/95) -- When a psychiatrist diagnosed Susan Smith as suffering from depression, he drew a link between her and millions of other Americans.
Bruck argues too few women are on panel (7/16/95) -- No sooner did jury selection in the Susan Smith case end Saturday than her lawyer asked that the judge throw out the panel. The motion, though, was denied by Judge William Howard, who set the trial to begin on Monday.
Friend says Smith did not indicate she would harm children (7/15/95) -- A witness in the Susan Smith double-murder case says she was suicidal but gave no hints she wanted to harm her children.
Four more jurors sequestered (7/15/95) -- The fifth day of jury selection in the Susan Smith double murder trial proved to be the most productive as four more jurors were seated, bringing the total to 10.
People deal with feelings at lake's edge (7/15/95) -- A woman who left a memorial for Alex and Michael Smith at John D. Long Lake last fall returned Friday. This time, Shirley Crask left a metal container of stones among the flowers.
Trial's first week proves profitable (7/15/95) -- Sonya Good is witnessing first-hand the economic impact of the Susan Smith trial. As a lead manager at the Taco Bell in Union, she has seen the number of meals served daily nearly double over the past few weeks.
Prosecution foul-up stalls jury selection (7/14/95) The prosecutor's failure to put David Smith on a list of potential witnesses nearly created havoc Thursday in jury selection for the death penalty trial of Smith's ex-wife.
Jury moves from Union to Spartanburg (7/14/95) When the jurors in the Susan Smith murder trial packed up and left the American Economy Inn Thursday morning, they took Peter Patel's dreams of a financially sound summer with them.
Smith lawyers to get husband's book (7/14/95) Susan Smith's lawyers will get an advance copy of David Smith's tell-all book and a comprehensive summary of it's worth to him to use in his ex-wife's defense.
Notes from Union (7/14/95) The Herald-Journal's Union County bureau reporter files bits and pieces from outside the courtroom.
Jury total reaches five (7/13/95) -- Lawyers in the Susan Smith case set a fast pace Wednesday when they seated three more jurors, bringing the total to five.