Life took a dramatically different turn for Kemba Smith in the 1990s compared to her calmer present as a 37-year-old. Back then, she was a student at Hampton University, a young woman who unfortunately fell in with the wrong crowd, specifically, the wrong man. This man was Peter Hall, who became Smith’s abusive boyfriend and a significant figure in a $4 million crack cocaine operation. The actions Hall coerced Smith into taking led to unforeseen and life-altering consequences. Little did she know, this young, petite woman was about to become a central figure in a national conversation about justice and sentencing. This is the compelling story of her trials and eventual redemption.
The Beginning of a Tumultuous Path
From an outsider’s perspective, Kemba Smith seemed to have it all. A former debutante from Richmond, Virginia, she was the only child of Gus, an accountant, and Odessa, a teacher. While her upper-middle-class upbringing might have appeared enviable to her peers, few understood the deep-seated insecurities that plagued Smith. Growing up in predominantly white environments with white friends, she always felt like an outsider. Furthermore, she battled with her self-image.
“I felt my nose was too big, my legs were too skinny – I was just overly critical of myself,” Smith recalled. “Those things can play a negative role in your mind.”
When Smith enrolled in summer classes at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she flourished. However, the fall semester brought a stark contrast. All her previous insecurities resurfaced, leading to low self-esteem and a renewed struggle to fit in. That was until she encountered Peter Hall. Hall was “the man” on campus, despite not being a student himself. He commanded admiration and respect, and once Smith started spending time with him, she too basked in the reflected praise of her peers. “Back at the dorm, girls wanted to know what he was like, what we talked about. That made me feel as if I was noticed, and it boosted my self-esteem because people were actually paying attention to me. I was with ‘the man.’”
While Smith relished the attention she received from being associated with Hall, their relationship soon took a dark turn, becoming increasingly abusive. Hall subjected her to repeated abuse. “I listened to the ‘I’m sorrys,’ and I stayed with him,” Smith admitted. That decision would prove to be the most devastating mistake of her life.
Descent into the Drug World
Hall’s involvement in drug dealing became an integral, and dangerous, part of their relationship. Smith was gradually drawn into his criminal activities. Reports indicate she was coerced into various roles, sometimes carrying a gun in her purse and on another occasion, flying to New York with money strapped to her body.
During this period, the federal government intensified its pursuit of Hall, eventually listing him as one of the FBI’s 15 Most Wanted fugitives. Suspecting that his close friend, Derrick Taylor, was cooperating with law enforcement, Hall murdered Taylor. “From that point, things got more complicated for me,” Smith explained. “It was more about doing whatever it was he told me to do and not causing conflict. It was also about protecting my family as well because he had been to my parents’ home.”
Smith remained with Hall on the west coast for almost ten months. During this time, she became pregnant with their child. Eventually, Hall bought Smith a train ticket home, and she returned. The manhunt for Hall continued, but it ended abruptly when Hall was found dead, shot in the head by an unknown assailant. Seven months pregnant, Smith turned herself in to the authorities.
“At the time, the prosecutor said if I turned myself in, he’d allow me to come home, bond, and have my son,” Smith recounted. Believing this promise, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy drug charges, money laundering, and making false statements. However, “(The prosecutor) reneged on his promise,” Smith remembers with pain. Instead of the anticipated 24-month sentence, the young, pregnant Smith was handed a shocking 24-year prison term under mandatory sentencing laws.
Mandatory minimum sentencing dictates a predetermined number of years in prison for specific crimes, mandated by law. Proponents argue that these minimum sentences deter crime and ensure uniformity in sentencing. However, critics contend that imprisoning nonviolent and minor offenders, predominantly for drug possession or drug-related offenses, is a misallocation of resources.
“When they said the 294 months, I was in shock,” Smith stated. “I couldn’t calculate how much 294 months actually equated to.” Her mother broke down in tears. Despite the devastating news, Smith held onto her faith. “I knew from that point forward, the only way I was going to make it from day-to-day – however long that would be – was for me not to lose faith that God was gonna change my situation.”
Life Behind Bars
One of Smith’s first experiences as an incarcerated woman was giving birth to her son. “It was definitely the most difficult situation that I’ve ever had to endure. Just being pregnant, having my first child, hoping there weren’t going to be any complications, worried if it was going to be excruciating pain. I did a lot of praying.”
Just five minutes after giving birth to her son, William Armani Smith, Smith’s legs were shackled to the bed. She was allowed to spend two days with Armani, and determined not to waste a second, she stayed awake for both nights. Because she was in county jail, where physical contact was prohibited during visits, it would be six long months before she could hold her baby again.
While Smith served her sentence, she and her parents tirelessly worked to raise awareness about her case. Despite numerous attempts, their initial efforts to gain attention were met with silence. Eventually, an attorney friend brought Kemba’s plight to the attention of George Curry, Editor-in-Chief of Emerge magazine. “I thought it was a compelling story that so many could benefit from,” said Curry, now president and CEO of George Curry Media. “It was the first time in the magazine’s history that we emptied the entire feature well so that we could devote all of the feature pages to one story.”
Curry recalls the magazine being inundated with mail. Many readers shared stories of knowing others like Kemba Smith or recognized that their own lives could have easily taken a similar path. “Even today, people still mention the Kemba stories when they think of Emerge. This was a perfect example of a Black publication and Black lawyers using their respective talents for a common good,” Curry reflected.
Following the Emerge article, widespread attention and support began to grow for Kemba Smith’s case, even from quarters that had previously ignored the family’s pleas. Despite the increasing public awareness, Smith’s time in prison remained arduous. “One of the most oppressive and humiliating acts was having my family come see me, spending time with my family, and having to see them leave,” Smith said somberly. “Watching them walk away and then going back to that room, being strip-searched, the squat and cough deal – it was very depressing and humiliating.” Nevertheless, Smith took responsibility for her actions and served her time with resilience.
Unwavering Parental Love
Smith’s legal ordeal took a significant toll on her family. She recounts how her mother, Odessa, typically a private person, initially hesitated to go public, concerned about potential public judgment. However, after careful deliberation, the family decided that public advocacy was the most effective course of action, not only to aid Kemba’s case but also to educate young people and deter them from making similar mistakes.
Although the family was committed to speaking out against injustices within the criminal justice system, their efforts were far from easy, requiring considerable personal sacrifices. For instance, Gus and Odessa were forced to declare bankruptcy twice, accumulated over $50,000 in telephone bills, became the sole providers for Armani, and regularly made the long journey to visit Kemba. Furthermore, after his employer demanded he cease publicly discussing the case, citing concerns about the company’s image, Gus made the difficult decision to sacrifice his career, retirement savings, 401(k), and other benefits.
Despite these hardships, Gus and Odessa harbor no regrets about their efforts. A deeply grateful Kemba believes that the ordeal strengthened her parents’ bond. “They typically wouldn’t have been involved with speaking on mandatory sentencing or being affiliated with certain organizations. It educated them about things that were going on, and it kept them strong by having to endure such tragedy,” Kemba observed.
The Gift of Freedom
After more than six years in federal prison, the prospect of Smith’s release seemed remote. Multiple legal motions were filed and subsequently denied. Smith noticed her incarceration was impacting her mother’s health and causing emotional distress for Armani. “I knew at that point I was going to do my time a lot differently,” Smith decided. Resigning herself to maintain faith without becoming overly optimistic, Smith settled into her prison routine.
Shortly after, Smith began receiving assistance from various organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Elaine Jones, who headed the organization at the time, took a personal interest in Smith’s case. “Elaine read the Emerge story and decided to represent Kemba without cost,” Curry recalled. “Although there was no legal victory, Elaine did manage to secure a presidential pardon.”
The pardon came from President Bill Clinton in December 2000, among his final acts in office, just three days before Christmas. “President Clinton’s commutation of Kemba’s sentence answered our prayers – nearly seven years of prayers, which seemed like an eternity,” Gus and Odessa expressed.
Rebuilding Life: The Path to Redemption
Upon her release, Smith re-entered a world that had changed dramatically. Technology had leaped forward; pagers were obsolete, and cell phones were ubiquitous. George W. Bush was about to begin his first presidential term, many of her friends had moved on with their lives, and Smith had to navigate the unfamiliar terrain of motherhood outside prison walls. Adding to these challenges, she also had to learn to trust men again.
“While incarcerated, I had a lot of time to dream and imagine what I wanted – to be married and possibly have other kids. Prison is supposed to rehabilitate you, but I wasn’t criminally-minded. What I needed was counseling and an understanding of what a healthy relationship entailed. There were some uphill battles I had with men – none of them led to anything as drastic as what I went through in the past – but there was some heartache.”
That heartache began to fade in August 2006 when she met Patrick Pradia, the man who would become her husband. “Patrick has worked through some of my trust issues…he is a unique man.” Pradia clearly feels she is unique as well. “I was really attracted to her on a mental level as well as physical,” Pradia affectionately said. “She’s a very strong person mentally. There’s not a lot that can break her – she always keeps a positive outlook on various situations.”
Pradia’s career recently relocated him to Indianapolis, where he and Smith are settling in. Armani is set to join them after the school year concludes. Since her release, Smith completed her undergraduate degree in social work at Virginia Union University and pursued her first year of law school at Howard University. She frequently travels the country, speaking to young people through her non-profit organization, the Kemba Smith Foundation, and is actively involved with various criminal justice organizations advocating for reform of mandatory sentencing laws.
Carolyn Mosby-Williams, a friend of Smith’s from Indiana, expresses no surprise at Smith’s successful reintegration into society. “Kemba had a plan. She didn’t allow her time in prison to derail what she wanted to become. It was a slight detour on her road to success, but she clearly kept the faith and continued to work her plan,” said Mosby-Williams. “She knows that there is a lesson in each experience in life, and she has embraced her experience, learned from it, and is now using that experience to teach others.”
Smith is currently finalizing her book. Furthermore, her powerful story is set to reach a wider audience on the big screen. Producer Will Packer (“Stomp the Yard”) has acquired the rights to Smith’s life story, with filming scheduled to commence this fall.
For further information about Kemba Smith, her foundation, or speaking engagements, please visit www.kembasmithfoundation.org.
SHANNON WILLIAMS
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