Smith’s Ex-Husband Speaks Out in Two-Hour Broadcast about Her Recent Parole Hearing, Tells ‘Dateline’ He ‘Wanted an Eye for an Eye’ After She Drowned Their Two Sons
NBC News’ Craig Melvin Reports for ‘Return to the Lake,’ Airing Friday, February 14 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT; Click Here to Watch Preview
February 13, 2025 – Friday’s all-new Dateline at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CTreveals exclusive new details and the latest developments in the case of Susan Smith, who murdered her two young boys in 1994.
During the broadcast, Susan Smith’s ex-husband speaks out to NBC News’ Craig Melvin in a network exclusive about her recent attempt to be released from prison after 30 years. Asked whether he would have preferred the state had executed Susan instead of sentencing her to life in prison, David Smith tells Melvin, “Formyself, yes, because I wouldn’t have to be dealing with what’s coming up now. I mean, Craig, I know that they said she had a tough life growing up and I’ve never tried to make light of that, but you don’t kill your children for what happened to you. I wanted an eye for an eye, but the jury saw different, so.”
Click here to watch the exchange
The two-hour Dateline, entitled Return to the Lake, provides an exclusive inside look at the case that riveted the country, through in-depth interviews with Susan Smith’s defense attorney, David’s current wife, and the Chief of SLED, as well as rarely heard interrogation audio of Susan from the initial investigation. Friday’s broadcast is a continuation of Dateline’s decades-long reporting on Smith, who recently was denied parole in November.
David Smith speaks to ‘Dateline’ this Friday.
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Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 33rd season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Fridays at 9/8c, Dateline also airs across NBC, cable and in broadcast syndication, with hundreds of hours available to stream on the global Dateline 24/7 channel. Dateline 24/7 can be viewed and/or listened to on channels on Peacock, Roku, YouTube, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Pluto TV, Local Now, Xfinity, Amazon Fire TV Channels and Prime Video, TuneIn, Xumo, TCLTV+ and SiriusXM. Additionally, the newsmagazine reaches millions through its #1 podcasts and its showcast. Liz Cole is the senior executive producer and Paul Ryan is the executive producer.
For more information contact:
Courtney Clawson
NBC News
Courtney.Clawson@nbcuni.com
