Pamela Smart Requests Meeting with NH Governor

TL/DR –

Pamela Smart, who was sentenced to life without parole for the murder of her husband in 1991, has requested a meeting with New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu to ask for a commutation hearing. In a video and letter to Sununu, Smart expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for her husband’s murder, stating that she has grown and bettered herself while in prison. Despite her previous unsuccessful requests for commutation, she continues to seek a sentence reduction, citing compassion, mercy, and the harsh conditions of her imprisonment, which included physical and sexual assault.

Pamela Smart Seeks Commutation Hearing for Life Sentence

Pamela Smart has appealed to Gov. Chris Sununu for a commutation hearing for her life sentence. Smart, convicted for conspiracy to commit murder of her husband, Gregg Smart, has been in prison since 1991. Now 56, she expressed remorse and responsibility for her husband’s death in a video sent to WMUR.

Smart’s Plea for Mercy and Compassion

In a letter to Sununu, Pamela Smart acknowledged her role in her husband’s death, stated her regret, and asked for compassion, stating her sentence appears to be endless punishment. During her incarceration, she suffered physical and sexual assault.

Smart’s Desire to Care for Aging Parents

Smart also revealed that her parents are in their 80s and in declining health, expressing her desire to look after them during their twilight years.

Rejection of Previous Clemency Requests

In response, Sununu stated that New Hampshire’s commutation or pardon request process is fair and exhaustive. The New Hampshire Supreme Court previously denied Pamela Smart’s petition to mandate the executive branch to reevaluate her commutation hearing request. Her request for a commutation hearing in 2022 to potentially shorten her sentence was declined unanimously by executive councilors.

Smart’s Incarceration and Self-Reflection

Smart is reportedly the longest-serving female inmate at Bedford Hills Women’s prison in New York. Reflecting on her past, Smart believes she’s now a different, more mature individual compared to when she was convicted. She acknowledged her past mistakes and immaturity.

Release of Accomplices in Husband’s Murder

By 2015, all four men involved in Gregg Smart’s murder were free. Three of the men were juveniles at the time of the killing. Patrick Randall and Billy Flynn were directly involved in the murder, while Raymond Fowler and Vance Lattime were in the getaway car.

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