02 Feb PAMELA SMART SEEKS COMMUTATION OF LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE SENTENCE
Pamela Smart, who was part of V-Day and One Billion Rising Founder V’s writing group at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, is seeking commutation of her life without parole sentence.
Pamela Smart is seeking a commutation of her sentence of life without parole. 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 has expressed deep remorse and taken responsibility for her behavior that led to the murder of her husband Gregg Smart.
Her trial was a sensational display of how a narrative contrary to the facts in the case can drive the media and the courtroom. Like Amanda Knox, as well as Damien Echols and the West Memphis 3, facts are often obscured or ignored completely to gain a conviction or produce a sensational news report. In Pamela Smart’s case, we witnessed this in the extreme. A movie was aired even before her trial, and hers was one of the first trials ever televised gavel to gavel. Over 1200 news articles, almost all based on a prosecution narrative, were exposed to a jury that was not sequestered during trial. Over the past 30 years, the media has continued to own her story and most media continue to report the biases and narrative that contributed to her conviction.
Pamela’s life without parole sentence is 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 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.
She is now asking New Hampshire’s Governor Christopher Sununu, the New Hampshire Executive Council and the Office of the Attorney General to have mercy on her and reduce her sentence so that she can return home.
If you can please support Pamela Smart’s effort to gain a commutation of her sentence. Reach out to New Hampshire Governor Sununu, Attorney General John M. Formella, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James and other elected officials in New York and New Hampshire
The Honorable Chris Sununu
Governor
State House
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-2121
(603)271-7680 Fax
Attorney General John M. Formella
New Hampshire Dept of Justice
33 Capitol Street
Concord, NH 03301
The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York
State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
1-518-474-8390
Attorney General Letitia James
State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224-0341