Editing Pamela Smart (section)

==Imprisonment==
Smart is serving her life sentence at the maximum-security [[Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women]] in [[Westchester County, New York]], where she was transferred in 1993 from the [[New Hampshire State Prison for Women]] in [[Goffstown, New Hampshire|Goffstown]]. At the time, New Hampshire officials said the transfer was for unspecified "security reasons."<ref>{{cite news |title=Woman in Plot to Kill Husband Shifts Prisons |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/12/us/woman-in-plot-to-kill-husband-shifts-prisons.html |date=March 12, 1993 |page=A14 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802083849/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/12/us/woman-in-plot-to-kill-husband-shifts-prisons.html |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Co-defendants William Flynn and Patrick Randall were also transferred out-of-state, in both cases to the [[Maine State Prison]] in [[Warren, Maine]].<ref name="Union Leader"/>

The specific reasons for Smart's transfer are unclear. In 2007, a senior assistant in the state attorney general's office told the ''Keene State Equinox'' that Smart was transferred due to discipline problems. While she had accrued 22 disciplinary reports, all but two of them were for minor offenses. Deputy Compact Administrator Denise Heath claimed that at the time, there were fears that the State Prison for Women was not suitable for a high-profile inmate like Smart, and that it would be too easy for someone to break her out. However, New Hampshire has never had a formal transfer agreement with New York; Heath believed the transfer was a "commissioner to commissioner" arrangement. Smart's family maintains they were never informed of the transfer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/equinox2006_3.htm|title=Prison a 'sentence without hope' for Pam Smart|last=Bergeron|first=Denise|newspaper=Keene State Equinox|date=April 20, 2006|access-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620224426/http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/equinox2006_3.htm|archive-date=June 20, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although she maintained her innocence, Smart conceded that her husband would still be alive if she had not had an affair with Flynn, a minor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dinan |first=Elizabeth |title=Life, With Nothing To Lose |date=February 20, 2005 |work=[[The Portsmouth Herald]] |url=http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20050220aPH.htm |access-date=July 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113012339/http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20050220aPH.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> While in prison, Smart has tutored other inmates and has completed two [[master's degree]]s with concentrations in literature and legal studies from Mercy College,<ref>{{cite news|first=Thomas|last=Zarbino|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/die-killer-teacher-pamela-smart-payday-lawsuit-article-1.298706|title='To Die For' killer teacher may get payday in lawsuit|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|publisher=[[Tronc]]|location=New York City|date=October 4, 2008|access-date=March 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315002625/http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/die-killer-teacher-pamela-smart-payday-lawsuit-article-1.298706|archive-date=March 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pamela Smart Maintains Innocence in Prison |date=December 19, 2007 |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/HolidayTheme/Story?id=3555182&page=2 |work=[[Good Morning America]] |publisher=ABC News |access-date=June 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529015824/http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HolidayTheme/Story?id=3555182&page=2 |archive-date=May 29, 2008|url-status=dead }}</ref> which were paid for with private funds from [[Mercy College (New York)|Mercy College]]. Smart became a member of the [[National Organization for Women]], campaigning for rights for women in prison.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=James V. |date=December 29, 1996 |title=NOW Chapter Thrives Among Inmates |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/29/nyregion/now-chapter-thrives-among-inmates.html |page=13WC–1 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802141243/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/29/nyregion/now-chapter-thrives-among-inmates.html |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 1996, Smart was severely beaten by two fellow inmates. She sustained a fractured nose and a broken eye socket, which resulted  in the insertion of a plastic plate in the left side of her face. The two inmates beat Smart after they accused her of snitching on them about their prison relationship. They were both convicted of second-degree assault in the attack on Smart at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility and were subsequently transferred to separate prisons.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fitzgerald |first=Jim |url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-97/12-05-97/c09sr106.htm |title=2 inmates guilty of beating Pamela Smart |date=December 5, 1997 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[South Coast Today]] |access-date=February 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027044710/http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-97/12-05-97/c09sr106.htm |archive-date=October 27, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> As a result of the beating, Smart takes medication for chronic pain and sometimes thinks of [[suicide]]. Her counselor, Eleanor Pam, says that "she has many, many, many dark days."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Hewitt |first1=Bill |last2=Bane |first2=Vickie |date=April 2, 2007 |title=Lives Behind Bars |url=https://people.com/archive/lives-behind-bars-vol-67-no-13/ |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]] |location=New York City |access-date=August 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821124724/https://people.com/archive/lives-behind-bars-vol-67-no-13/ |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Smart says she still keeps track of Flynn because she regards him as being the key to her freedom, before the 2023 ruling. "He is one of the few people that could actually get me out of here, by coming forward and telling the truth, but he's never gonna do that," said Smart.<ref name="Eagle-Tribune 2000">{{cite news |last1=Souza |first1=Dawn |title=Decade later, Pam still smarts over conviction |url=http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20000229ET.htm |access-date=August 20, 2018 |work=[[Lawrence Eagle-Tribune]] |date=February 29, 2000 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105908/http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20000229ET.htm |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, photos of a scantily clad Smart were published in the ''[[National Enquirer]]''. She filed a complaint against the prison and was placed in solitary confinement for two months. Smart sued in relation to her placement in solitary, but the lawsuit was dismissed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Brought by Pamela Smart |url=http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=39287 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209123230/http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=39287 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=WCSH6.com |date=July 30, 2006 }}</ref> In 2004, Smart and fellow inmate [[Carolyn Warmus]] sued officials of Bedford Hills, claiming [[sexual harassment]], and [[sexual assault]] by a corrections officer, who they said coerced them into posing for the suggestive pictures published in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cosby |first=Rita |title=Inmate Pam Smart sues jail and guard for sexual assault |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11325793 |date=February 13, 2006 |work=NBC News |access-date=November 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910210918/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11325793 |archive-date=September 10, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=N.Y. May Settle Smart Lawsuit |last=Cronin |first=Patrick |work=[[Hampton Union]] |date=October 7, 2008 |url=http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/pamsmartHU20081007.htm |access-date=November 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113213135/http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/pamsmartHU20081007.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> On November 5, 2009, a U.S. District Court Judge approved a $23,875 judgment to Smart from the State of New York. Smart received $8,750, while her attorney received the remaining balance for attorney fees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cronin |first1=Patrick |title=Pamela Smart Receives $23K Payday {{!}} Hampton Union |url=http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20091106HU.htm |access-date=August 20, 2018 |publisher=www.hampton.lib.nh.us |date=November 6, 2009 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820141236/http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/pamsmart/20091106HU.htm |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

While serving her sentence, Smart took part in a writer's workshop, which was facilitated by playwright [[Eve Ensler]]. The workshop and Smart's writing were exhibited in the 2003 [[PBS]] documentary ''What I Want My Words to Do to You''.<ref>{{IMDb title|0343173|What I Want My Words to Do to You}}</ref>

In April 2004, the [[United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit|First U.S. Court of Appeals]] upheld a 2002 ruling by a federal judge who rejected her federal [[Habeas corpus|habeas petition]]. Prior to her federal [[appeal]], Smart had exhausted all judicial appeals at the state level. In July 2005, the New Hampshire [[Executive Council of New Hampshire|Executive Council]] unanimously denied a [[pardon]] request for "any conditions the governor may seek to impose." In an interview with [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], Smart indicated she is afraid of growing old and dying in prison and would rather have been given the [[death penalty]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Pamela Smart Maintains Innocence in Prison |date=December 19, 2007 |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/HolidayTheme/story?id=3555182 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726043646/https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HolidayTheme/story?id=3555182 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |work=[[Good Morning America]] |publisher=ABC News}} </ref>

On March 29, 2023, it was reported that Smart lost her final appeal.

On June 11, 2024, as part of an effort to get a sentence reduction, a videotaped statement was released where for the first time ever, Smart accepted responsibility for her husband's death by asserting that she should have "seen the signs", in regards to her allegation that Flynn's actions were of his own volition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/pamela-smart-takes-responsibility-for-husbands-1990-killing-for-the-first-time|title=Pamela Smart, serving life, accepts responsibility for her husband's 1990 killing for the first time|first=Kathy|last=McCormack|publisher=Associated Press|date=June 11, 2024|accessdate=June 11, 2024}}</ref> She claimed it was done as part of some inner work she was doing on herself.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-11 |title=Pamela Smart takes responsibility for her husband's 1990 murder in prison video statement |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pamela-smart-takes-responsibility-husbands-1990-murder-prison-video-st-rcna156605 |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>