In truth, its about class and poor men of any race get the worst defense lawyer and therefore the worst sentences and treatment. Thank you for sharing! The movie also didnt show that Susan Smiths body was decomposing for a year before Putnam decided to tell where her bones could be found. [1] She studied at Freeburn grade school, but dropped out in 7th grade, because of financial problems within her family. I hope someone in prison tried to rape his a**. That partnership, according to reports, soon became an affair. furnishing informants with guns and drugs--Susan, too, she said. It appears there was ample evidence to proffer First Degree Murder Premeditation and Deliberation which might have been deliberately or inadvertently destroyed. The old feud was part of Susan, as she was a descendant of both clans. What a weird thing to say in this situation. They were not concerned about Justice being served; they only wanted the Black man to be found not guilty. In exchange, he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter.. He married Kathy Ponticelli, the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer, shortly after graduating. This story has been shared 142,081 times. The reason Treyvon Martin was killed was because he did not have sense enough to ask, why are you following me? Trayvon, in typical thug style, tried to give an innocent man a beat down. While Mark Putnam and Susan Smith were working together, she started hanging around the courthouse looking for him. But Mark consistently put in extra time and set his sights on becoming an FBI agent. This was truly a sad story, FBI agent Mark Putnam was taught better. Susan objected and began slapping him. Mark Putnam was the first FBI agent to be convicted of murder. In other words. What was that piece of orange plastic(?) Two years prior, Putnams wife Kathy died of organ failure likely from heavy drinking at age 38. Susan and Kenneth married in the late 1970s and would have two children together before divorcing. But only Susan Smith and Mark Putnam know what happened on June 8, 1989, and unfortunately, Smith isn't around to corroborate Putnam's side of the story. A local sheriff's deputy, Albert "Bert" Hartfield, recommended that his longtime friend Susan Smith visit Putnam to earn extra income and to help him with the case. The pair would meet two to three times every week, and Smith quickly told Putnam she believed Lockhart was planning another heist because she discovered a duffel bag with two sawed-off shotguns and ski masks in their home, Sharkey writes. Putnam, now 41, has completed a 10-year prison sentence for killing Susan Daniels Smith, his informant and lover while he was stationed in Kentucky. Putnam was the first FBI agent to be charged in a homicide. Smith also built up a relationship with Kathy Putnam, and the two of them often spoke on the phone for hours on end. Susan dropped out of school in seventh grade due to her family's financial difficulties. Plus I believe his conscience was eating at him. memorial page for Susan Daniels Smith (1961-8 Jun 1989), Find a Grave Memorial ID 224916506; Burial Details Unknown; . He told me that the day that it happened- and he didnt know this at the time, but afterwards he knew- the day it happened Mark Putnam actually came to Post 9 with the woman in the trunk of his car dead, Harris said. Smith and Putnam's verbal argument turned physical, and he ended up strangling her. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. In 1990, the investigation into Smith's death became an FBI matter, as Putnam was under suspicion for her disappearance. In "Above Suspicion," Jack Huston plays real-life FBI Agent Mark Putnam and Emilia Clarke plays Susan Smith, the woman he murdered. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. [4] Early life What about our esteemed OJ Simpson. Nevertheless, the two married sometime in the late 1970s. His wife, Kathy, died years ago at the age of 38 from heart problems. Putnam would later claim that they only had sex five times over a two-week period and only in his car. The old feud was part of Susan, as she was a descendant of both clans. The affair was hot, heavy, and extremely passionate. Eventually, Susan Daniels Smith became pregnant and Mark Putnam wanted to distance himself from Smith before the affair could ruin his marriage. They had no evidence at all and a failed polygraph test. Im sorry but theres something terribly wrong with that picture. Connecticut native Putnam was 27 years old and just out of the FBI Academy when he found himself stationed in Pikeville, Kentucky, a small Appalachian town three hours from Lexington with a practically unsupervised two-agent outpost. There, in 1989, FBI Agent Mark Putnam killed an informant with whom he was having an affair. It is believed that the affair broke her heart. Its not as if there are any similar cases regarding black FBI agents. The girl is kind of forlorn sometimes, she said. I didnt even know dude was a undercover cop. His mother and daddy were not married; he had no strong father figure to teach him any better. However, the couple started to have a conflicted relationship, highly compromised by drug abuse. Neighbors in Freeburn, Ky., say the children appear to be living happily with their father. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. We've received your submission. [8][9], The case was the subject of The FBI Killer (1992), a book by American investigator Aphrodite Jones. Ya know the criminal justice system is messed up when someone does just 10 years for murder. [1][5] Smith received $5,000 (equivalent to over $11,000 as of 2020) for her contribution to the case.[6]. This raises the question of whether or not Smith was ever pregnant, or if there would be any reason for others to try to disprove her pregnancy. First Degree Manslaughter? [5], Despite being sentenced to 16 years in prison, Putnam served only 10 years due to good behavior, and was described as a "model inmate". Every time something like this occurs, the color card is played. Sentenced to 16 years in prison, he served 10. "It's part of our culture now. Putnams first wife, Kathy stood by him while he was in prison. Discovery (@wbd) August 23, 2016. He spent time in prison but was released in 2000 after serving 10 years. Meanwhile, "The FBI Encyclopedia" writes that Mark continued establishing himself as a productive agent for the Bureau. She dropped out of school in 7th grade because of financial problems within her family. Putnam, 30, of Sunrise, Fla., entered a guilty plea to one count of felony manslaughter in Ms. Smiths death. Its a woman who lost her life: Pike County murder hits movie screens, LMPD officer Nickolas Wilts recovery takes huge step forward, JCPS middle school student taken to hospital after eating suspected medicated gummies, LMPD: Man killed in wrong-way head on crash on Preston Highway, Spencer County High School student dies in crash, KSP: Marion County man charged with child sexual exploitation offenses, 2-month-old retriever puppies arrive at Ky. Humane Society after being found in ditch, Louisville man looks to attend his 84th Kentucky Derby. Dont miss out! Mark Putnam reads, exercises, works in the prison hospice and chapel, and is talkative during calls to his family. But Katheryn Sizemore, Kenneth Smiths landlady and a neighbor, said it is obvious they miss their mother. Thanks for contacting us. The two physically fought, and Putnam strangled Smith. Being an informant was a fairly common phenomenon in the area during this time although the pay was low and the risk was high. The case also appears on Season 1 Episode 1 of the Investigation Discovery series Betrayed. Why is everyone talking about race? It was apparently the first case in FBI history in which an agent had been charged with a homicide, said Terry OConnor, the FBIs top agent in Kentucky. When he was declared not guilty, you wouldve thought Obama had been elected. And then she met Mark Putnam and became obsessed. For Christmas, she bought Putnam expensive running shoes and a Nike shirt a big no-no for an FBI informant. Susan Daniels Smith (1961-1989) Susan Smith was raised in Lonesome Hollow where the feud occurred. The Inquisitr is a registered trademark. Putnam was the oldest of three children, and while Barbara worked taking care of the children, Walter worked as a truck driver for Sears, according to "The FBI Killer" by Aphrodite Jones. Tim Putnam, an employee for the Connecticut Legislature, said that his mother talks to Mark about every two weeks, but that he has not heard from him since Christmas. . One of the news outlets had a camera set up in the basement of an AME church where those good Christian folk breathlessly awaited the verdict. I just wish it would all die down. During his time in college, Putnam mentioned to his soccer coach that he dreamed of being an FBI agent. Throughout all this, Putnam, 31, also has remained silent. Putnam appeared tense during his 20-minute appearance in Pike County Circuit Court. FBI Special Killer Agent | Mark Putnam / Susan Daniels Smith Case Analysis Dr. Todd Grande 1.27M subscribers 149K views 11 months ago This video answers the question: Can I analyze the case. Susan Daniels Smith was born in 1961 in Matewan, West Virginia, to Sidney "Sid" Daniels, an unemployed former coal miner, and Tracy Daniels, a housekeeper. And although he was still on probation for robbing a bank, Putnam believed that Lockhart immediately went back to his old profession upon being released from prison. News Chant reports that Putnam put Smith's body in the trunk of his car. Immediately after the hearing, Putnam was handcuffed and taken into custody by Kentucky State Police officers. An affair that eventually ended when Putnam strangled Smith. According to Lexington Herald-Leader, he is possibly working in the Georgia area as a personal trainer. Putnam underwent a polygraph exam, which he failed. Susan met Kenneth Smith in 1977 when she was just 15 and he was 22. But he received a light sentence because the authorities had no case. She was a poor drug-addicted mother of two, and he was an educated, decorated FBI agent. There is a wikipedia entry named "Murder of Susan Smith" about her case. Its sad that you rob a bank Cat Eyes and you get nearly 60 years thanks to Susan Daniels Smith, But you murder a PREGNANT informant and you only do 10 years? The majority of black inmates act like a slew of undisciplined children in grown-up bodies. Putnam would pay her thousands of dollars for tips, while she became increasingly enamored with her handler. The case may have been over, but Susan and Mark continued to meet. How nice for him. As far as O.J. The man had confessed to strangling his lover Susan Smith, who not only worked for him as an informant, but was said to be carrying his unborn child. The guy did 10 years, which is well above the average for time served in his situation. Based on a true story. Not one scintilla or shred of evidence to bring a charge or convict this man." And according to "Above Suspicion," there was a lot of money to be given out to informants. Several of Smiths survivors, including ex-husband Kenneth Smith, have received money from Jones advance, and she said half the royalties also would go to the family. Why does the race card have to be thrown into every situation? With the way our society has allowed punishment for crimes to be diminished to a slap on the wrist the answer to your question would be a simple yes. While there, Putnam was reportedly the same type of person he'd been throughout his youth, exhibiting "aggression in sports and in class but extreme caution about divulging information about his private affairs," Jones writes. Hes a wonderful man, her mother Carol Ponticelli told the Hartford Courant when he was let out of prison. I felt sorry everyones children. Some people have suggested that he confessed to the slaying to hide something worse from authorities, but his younger brother, Tim Putnam, said he believes that Mark just could not bear the guilt. The victims sister, Shelby Ward of Freeburn, was cited for trying to conceal a .38-caliber handgun in the courtroom by Kentucky State Police, and was released. Kenneth was a drug dealer when the two of them met, and soon they were using drugs together. In "The FBI Encyclopedia," Michael Newton writes that Putnam graduated from the University of Tampa as a B-average student majoring in criminology. On June 13, 1990, Mark Putnam pled guilty to choking Susan Smith to death and told investigators where they could find her body almost exactly one year after her murder. They used her and they killed her and they dumped her out like a bag of garbage.. According to Jones, "going from a clerical position to being a special agent is rare, but Putnam was determined to beat the odds.". Prosecutor John Paul Runyon was flabbergasted. The death of Smith is the subject of a new movie starring Emilia Clarke called Above Suspicion, out now. After leaving it there for a day while he drove around, Putnam left the body by an old coal mining road the following evening. Whatever justice was served, whether it was enough or not, will be served later by God and he has to live with himself. Since her sisters death, Ward has been taking sedatives and seeing an analyst once a month. The icing on the cake was when president Obama declared Treyvon Martin was the son he never had. The reason George Z. was found innocent by a racially diverse jury was because he was simply protecting his life from having his head bashed into the concrete sidewalk. According to Joe Sharkey, during his time in prison, Mark was described as a "model inmate.". People may remember it especially since a movie was made about it in the 1990s titled Betrayed By Love. They get a conviction and her family got her body to bury. By the way, if you can get your hands on the movie Betrayed By Love, youre in for a tearjerker. Mark Putnam was born on Independence Day in 1959 and studied criminology at the University of Tampa. The reason others get much stiffer sentences will happen for a variety of reasons: the authorities have evidence, witnesses or a stronger case.sometimes the police have good interrogators who can solicit a confession or the suspects are plain ignorant or dumb? He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. What a great (in)justice system we have. While visiting Pikeville to wrap up a case, Putnam took Smith on a drive to Peter Creek Mountain one night. Putnam was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but was released after 10 years, early in 2000, on good behavior. Mark walked the yard and caused 0 problems. . In October 1986, Putnam graduated from the FBI Academy and shortly thereafter, married Kathy Putnam, the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer. In the initial investigation of Susan Smith's disappearance, police focused on Kenneth Smith and his acquaintances. He chose to kill her period. This coward took away a young mother from young kids over a lie + his temper. And in 1980, Lockhart achieved his own dream after stealing $300,000 from a bank in Grundy, Virginia. Although the marriage produced two children, its hardly surprising that there were problems. She was strangled by her handler and lover, FBI agent Mark Putnam. If he were a person of color, he wouldnt be out of prison in 10 years or at all for killing someone. Working as a telephone switchboard operator during night shifts and weekends, Jones writes in "The FBI Killer" that Mark rarely talked to his superiors and exchanged only polite and casual greetings if he did. Books and television programs were created using the story and that shock continues to cause ripples in different forms of media today. PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) _ A former FBI agent who solved a year-old homicide by confessing to the crime pleaded guilty Tuesday to strangling a pregnant informant with whom hed been having an affair. One year into his 16-year sentence, the only FBI agent ever charged with a homicide is coming to grips with life in prison. Lawyer suggests hell be exonerated, Updated: Victim of deadly Lexington shooting was 18 years old, coroner says, Former ISIL recruiter charged with attempted murder in a Kentucky prison, Officer critically injured in Louisville bank shooting is now able to open his eyes, Kentucky police charge a Texas man in a murder case thats been open 8 years. [3] Smith and Putnam met in the spring of 1987, and they began to have frequent contact for the exchange of information about Lockhart's upcoming criminal plans. Her body was found last. Two years before Mark was released from prison, his wife Kathy Putnam died suddenly from organ failure at the age of 38. Hoping to expand his web of informants, Putnam set up a meeting with Kenneth and Susan in order to convince them to cooperate in the case against Lockhart, according to "The FBI Encyclopedia.". lol right. [2] He studied at the University of Tampa, where he majored in criminology. When he reached Kentucky, Smith contacted him about her pregnancy and told him the baby was his. On June 8, 1989, Susan Daniels Smith was killed in the Pikeville area. Pretty much by the book. Matewan is at the heart of the area embroiled in the infamous nineteenth century Hatfield-McCoy feud. At least one book and a television movie about the case are in the works. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. This is about an FBI agent who murdered his informate? Susan Daniels Smith lived a life of poverty, violence and misery. In his written confession, Putnam said he strangled Smith in a fit of rage because she was threatening to tell his wife and superiors that she was carrying his child. When a good-looking, big city FBI agent named Mark Putnam entered her life, Susan thought her prayers had been answered.
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