By Shawn Nowlin
In theory, Lady Justice, a term that represents the virtue of justice, is supposed to be blind. In reality, the amount of harm the two-tier justice system has historically done in America cannot be quantified with words.
The myth that Black people have innately criminal behavior has long been debunked.
Sometimes, in a vacuum, numbers aren’t as impactful. Here are some facts though: despite representing just 13 percent of the country’s population, nearly one in every four people in prison or jail are Black; even though Black and White people use illicit drugs at similar rates, the former is criminalized at a significantly higher percentage; Black Americans are nine times more likely as whites to be a homicide victim at the hands of a police officer.
One of the faces of America’s glaring criminal justice hypocrisy is Kemba Smith.
Born in the suburbs of Richmond to an accountant and teacher, respectively, Smith was her parent’s only child. Extracurricular activities she was involved with growing up include the marching band and Girl Scouts. Despite having other options, Smith chose to attend Hampton University after graduating from Hermitage High in 1989.
The transition from high school to college undergraduate was not a seamless one. In addition to struggling with home sickness and imposter syndrome, Smith was put on academic probation more than once.
When Smith met 28-year-old Peter Hall, a man known for selling cocaine to students in the area, she was just 19. Not long after they got together, the physical, emotional and mental abuse began. By the spring of 1992, Smith was actively involved in Hall’s drug ring.
Even as she was employed at the Virginia Housing Development Authority, Smith was terrified of breaking up with Hall because of what he would do. After she became pregnant, she moved back home with her parents in August 1994. At the encouragement of loved ones, she turned herself into the local authorities. Less than two months later, Hall was shot and killed in his apartment.
In addition to money laundering and making false statements to federal agents, Smith was also charged with conspiracy to traffic powder cocaine. Despite claiming to never have sold the drug, Smith pled guilty to all charges. In April 1994, she was sentenced to nearly 25 years in prison.
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and other organizations rallied behind Smith when her story made national headlines. With so many entities joining forces, justice for Smith eventually prevailed. After nearly seven years at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, President Bill Clinton granted Smith clemency in 2000.
In 1992, Smith dropped out of Hampton in large part because of Hall. Before enrolling at Virginia Commonwealth University, she briefly attended Johnson C. Smith and Central Piedmont Community College. Once released from prison, she enrolled at Virginia Union University, graduating in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She later earned her law degree.
Today, Smith is a criminal justice advocate who heads a charitable organization that raises awareness on various social issues. Through public speaking, documentaries and more, Smith has been able to travel across the country to tell her story.
A film adaption of Smith’s life, titled “Kemba,” was released earlier this year on BET+.
During a YouTube Q&A event, she said, “I wanted to let my story be a cautionary tale for people so they wouldn’t have to go down the same path. It’s surreal to be at this point, because I can remember praying and getting on my knees, asking God to use me.”
She added, “I have been out here telling this story for years, but to have this platform and NPR producing it, and Kelley, the director, and for the story to be told so beautifully, I’m just really excited.”
