South-Carolina
Killer mom Susan Smith disciplined behind bars after speaking with filmmaker weeks before first parole hearing
Killer mom Susan Smith has been convicted of a new disciplinary charge after speaking with a documentary filmmaker, weeks before her first parole hearing.
The 53-year-old, who was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 for murdering her two children, was charged with communicating with a victim/and or witness of crime on Aug. 26 and was convicted on Oct. 3, Chrysti Shain, director of communications with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, told Fox News Digital.
Smith agreed to provide the filmmaker with contact information for friends, family and victims, including her former husband. The filmmaker deposited money into Smith’s account for “Calls and Canteen,” according to the incident report, which redacted the filmmaker’s name.
South Carolina Department of Corrections inmates are not allowed to do interviews on the telephone or in person, according to SCDC policy, but they may write letters.
Smith will become eligible for parole on Nov. 4., 30 years after she confessed to drowning her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler, in a South Carolina lake.
In their conversations, Smith and the filmmaker discussed conducting an interview and even filming for a documentary and ways to get paid for it.
They also discussed Smith’s crime in depth and the events leading up to and after it, including details like “what was in the trunk of the car when it went into the water and her plans to jump from a bridge while holding the boys, but one woke up,” the incident report says.
Smith lost her telephone, tablet and canteen privileges for 90 days, beginning Oct. 4. The charge is not a criminal one, but rather it is an internal disciplinary conviction.
It was Smith’s first disciplinary action in almost 10 years.
“SCDC inmates are issued tablets that are secured for correctional use. The tablets can be used to make monitored telephone calls and to send monitored electronic messages,” Shain said. “They are considered a privilege. The department will determine when and if inmate Smith will earn the opportunity to be issued a tablet again.”
Smith’s phone conversations with the filmmaker are not the first calls she’s made that have sparked attention.
Over the past three years, Smith has courted nearly a dozen suitors over monitored jailhouse messages and telephone calls, The Post reported.
Criminal defense attorney Philip Holloway previously told Fox News Digital that her chances of an early release are “unlikely.”
“I expect that she would be denied parole — the facts of this case are horrific,” Holloway said. “I see it’s unlikely that she would be released into society.”
Whether Smith’s latest conviction affects her upcoming parole is unknown.
Fox News Digital’s Christina Coulter contributed to this report.
South-Carolina
Democratic State Rep. Jermaine Johnson enters race to become South Carolina’s next governor
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Jermaine Johnson, a Democratic state lawmaker who’s been openly exploring a bid for higher office for months, is officially entering the 2026 race for governor of South Carolina.
Johnson formed an exploratory committee in May, arguing then that the state was at a crossroads and in need of leadership that “listens, leads with integrity, and puts people before politics.”
The state lawmaker is expected to make his campaign official during a Tuesday evening event on the steps of the Statehouse.
In a launch video posted to social media Tuesday morning, Johnson described himself as a “different kind of Democrat,” referencing his defeat of a longtime incumbent in the 2020 Democratic Primary for House District 80.
“Five years ago, when I looked and saw the same politicians get the same results, I knew I had to do something,” he says in the video. “So I took on my own party and I won. Big.”
“Because we got to call out Democrats when they aren’t getting the job done,” he continued. “Same thing for Republicans.”
Since his election, Johnson has become a prominent voice in the state’s Democratic coalition, often drawing on personal experiences to shape his arguments on the House floor.
His life’s story, from growing up homeless and losing his brother to gun violence to becoming a College of Charleston basketball star and eventually rising to political power, was chronicled in a documentary released last November.
The primary for the first open governor’s race in more than a decade will be held next June. Gov. Henry McMaster is unable to run again due to term limits.
Johnson is the second Democrat to throw his hat in the ring behind Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, who launched his bid over the summer.
News 2 is Your Local Election Headquarters | Get the latest information on races across the Lowcountry and South Carolina
Five candidates are seeking the Republican nomination: Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, State. Sen. Josh Kimbrell, U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be a decided underdog in the general election, as a Republican has won every gubernatorial race in South Carolina since 2002.
This story is developing and may be updated.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — South Carolina authorities have identified a person of interest connected to the shootings that killed a woman at South Carolina State earlier this month.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Monday that it plans to speak with a an unidentified person they say he was on S.C. State’s campus the night of Oct. 4. That night, 19-year-old Jaliyah Butler was killed and another man was seriously injured.
In the days following the shooting, police charged Matthew Daniel McCoy with pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and carrying a weapon on school property.
Anyone with information, including the person of interest pictured below, can contact SLED
by calling 866-472-8477 and/or by emailing tips@sled.sc.gov.
Photos are sourced from S.C. State’s campus security cameras.
South-Carolina
South Carolina’s Underrated Lakeside State Park Has A Coveted Campground Nestled In Pristine Nature – Islands
Tucked away on the western edge of South Carolina is a dazzling, 26,650-acre lake with an untouched shoreline, and is the perfect place to unwind with the sights and sounds of nature. Fed by the Savannah River, the lake was created in 1984 from construction of the Richard P. Russell Dam, and provides some incredible fishing opportunities for catfish, bass, and crappie. The fishing is so incredible that several tournaments are held each year, including a kid’s fishing tournament from the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers.
The lake is home to Calhoun Falls State Park, an underrated lakeside jewel that’s just 40 minutes from Greenwood, a South Carolina city with small-town vibes, Southern charm, and boutique shops. The park has a massive campground with two different camping areas, and a number of campsites offer unparalleled views overlooking the water. There are also several picnic shelters that are perfect for group camping and fishing trips away from the hustle and bustle of city life and everyday stress.
Things to do at Calhoun Falls State Park
Fishing and camping are the two main draws at Calhoun Falls State Park. There are 86 sites for tent camping and RVs, all sites have electric and water, plus laundry machines and a dump station. If you’re bringing a boat, a marina within the park offers 36 slips plus a ramp and a beach area for relaxing. Visitors are welcome to swim in the lake — although there’s no lifeguard on duty. If you want to go fishing but don’t have your own gear, the park has a tackle lending program with rods, reels, and tackle boxes available. Visitors can also play tennis or volleyball, or check out the moderately-difficult wooded hiking trail that traverses over footbridges and offers some fantastic views.
Despite its name, there are no waterfalls at the park — it was named after the town of Calhoun Falls which had a set of shoals. If travelers want to explore the surrounding area by car, the park is located about an hour’s drive from Athens, Georgia, a college town that’s an artsy gem with food, music, and family-friendly activities. If you’re flying in, the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is your best bet, and is about an hour and 30 minutes’ drive from Calhoun Falls State Park. For some down time to unwind after the flight, the charming city of Greenville has a roster of hotels to choose from, and its flower-filled park with a river, waterfalls, and trails is worth a visit.
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