To The Editor,

By Lonnie Soury

Governor Sununu’s comments that he would veto any proposal to release Pamela Smart, Associate Attorney General Jeffrey Strelzin’s gratuitous and harsh rejection of Smart’s appeal, and the Executive Council’s apparent indifference during their recent meeting, expressed a willful refusal to recognize that after 32 years in prison, 22 year-old Pamela Smart is now a 54 year old women who has become a model of rehabilitation.
Pamela has expressed deep remorse and taken responsibility for her behavior that led to the murder of her husband Gregg Smart. She has worked tirelessly to grow and change. She has dedicated herself to helping others during her three decades in prison. She has helped hundreds of women get their high school diplomas, associates, and bachelor’s degrees, worked as a certified HIV/AIDS counselor, and is currently in her 7th term as the elected grievance representative. She has furthered her own education by achieving a Doctorate in Biblical Studies, a Master of Science in Law, and a Master of Fine Arts in English Literature. She graduated from all three programs with a 4.0 GPA.

Pamela was selected by her Pastor for a leadership position in her church and has served her church community in that role for decades.

Her trial was a sensational display. A TV movie was aired even before her trial, and hers was one of the first trials ever televised gavel to gavel. Over 1200 news articles were exposed to a jury that was not sequestered during trial. For the most part, the media has continued to own her story and continue to report the biases that contributed to her conviction.

Pamela Smart was imprisoned at the age of 22 and has now served nearly 32 years behind bars. She is the longest serving woman inmate in New York State, residing at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. Pamela’s life without parole sentence is recognized by many as being excessive and inhumane, as well as disproportionate to the sentences of the actual killers. The four young men who killed Gregg Smart have been free for years.

She has asked Associate Attorney General Strelzin,  Governor Christopher Sununu and the New Hampshire Executive Council to have mercy on her and reduce her sentence so that she can one day return home. Unfortunately, mercy does not seem to be in their cards. Pam can only hope that they take another look at what rehabilitation really looks like.

Pamelasmart.com

Lonnie Soury
Advocate for Pamela Smart
www.soury.com
www.wrongfullyconvicted.info