By Riley King
Pamela Smart was 23 when she was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her husband, Gregg, who was found shot to death in the couple's Derry condominium on May 1, 1990. She has been in prison since her conviction in 1991.
Pamela Smart, now 56, is now requesting to have a meeting with Gov. Chris Sununu to ask for his consideration for a commutation hearing regarding her life-without-parole sentence.
Smart wants to express to Sununu her remorse, take responsibility for her husband’s death and discuss how she has bettered herself since her incarceration.
Back in March Pamela Smart wrote a letter to Sununu, in that letter is said that it took her decades to admit to herself that she was responsible for her husband's death.
Pamela Smart said in seeking a sentence reduction, she is asking for compassion and mercy. Smart also said her parents are both in their 80s and in declining health, and she'd like to be home to care for them in their final years. Smart also shared that during her incarceration, she was beaten so bad she required plastic surgery. She also said that she was sexually assaulted by a prison guard.
But the family of Gregg Smart said they're not buying it.
In a statement, Sununu said, "New Hampshire’s process for commutation or pardon requests is fair and thorough. Pamela Smart will be given the same opportunity to petition the Council for a hearing as any other individual."
Last year, the New Hampshire Supreme Court denied Pamela Smart’s petition to compel the state’s executive branch to reconsider her commutation hearing request. In their ruling, the justices said they lack jurisdiction to compel the executive branch to comply with such an order.
Also, in 2022 Smart applied for a commutation hearing to potentially reduce her sentence, but the executive councilors unanimously voted to deny the request. It was her third unsuccessful request for such a hearing.
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