Kemba Smith was sentenced to 24.5 years in prison for conspiracy related to her involvement with a drug dealer despite never selling or using drugs herself. She became involved with the drug dealer while in college and felt trapped in the abusive relationship out of fear for her safety. While in prison, she worked to better herself through education and reading black history. She was granted clemency by President Clinton after her story received publicity. Though the war on drugs continues, many nonviolent, low-level offenders receive excessively long sentences similar to what would be given to drug kingpins.

1. May | Jul 2006
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disadvantaged position because I was not knowledgeable
about the streets.”
While attending Hampton University she tried to fit
in, got caught up with the wrong crowd and eventually fell in
love with a drug dealer,Peter Michael Hall. Over the course of
their almost four-year relationship Smith experienced verbal
and physical abuse, and went from believing that she was
his main squeeze to being one of his“mules,”hauling money
between New York and Virginia. Out of fear for her safety
and that of her parents,she remained involved with the drug
dealer who became the father of her only child.
Even though the federal prosecutor conceded that
she never sold, handled or used drugs, the U.S. government
still charged her with conspiracy, an offense that exposed
her to the same mandatory sentence a drug trafficker would
receive. Hall ended up dead. Smith landed in jail.
“My original sentence was for 24.5 years and I
served 6.5 years,” explained the now first-year Howard
University law school student. In addition to the conspiracy
charge,Smithpleadedguiltytomoneylaunderingandmaking
false statements to Federal law enforcement agents. It was
hard to match those actions with the perfectly pretty and
poised, slender 34-year-old woman we interviewed.
“By pleading guilty, I was trying to take personal
responsibility,”added Smith,who finished her undergraduate
degree in Social Work at Virginia Union College. “Once I was
incarcerated… there were times that I asked myself over
and over,‘why did you do this?’”
hard to match those actions with the perfectly pretty and
May | Jul 2006May | Jul 2006
PORT OF HARLEMPORT OF HARLEM 2323
poised, slender 34-year-old woman we interviewed.poised, slender 34-year-old woman we interviewed.
“By pleading guilty, I was trying to take personal“By pleading guilty, I was trying to take personal
responsibility,”added Smith,who finished her undergraduateresponsibility,”added Smith,who finished her undergraduate
degree in Social Work at Virginia Union College. “Once I wasdegree in Social Work at Virginia Union College. “Once I was
incarcerated… there were times that I asked myself overincarcerated… there were times that I asked myself over
and over,‘why did you do this?’”and over,‘why did you do this?’”
disadvantaged position because I was not knowledgeable
about the streets.”
in, got caught up with the wrong crowd and eventually fell in
love with a drug dealer,Peter Michael Hall. Over the course of
their almost four-year relationship Smith experienced verbal
and physical abuse, and went from believing that she was
his main squeeze to being one of his“mules,”hauling money
between New York and Virginia. Out of fear for her safety
and that of her parents,she remained involved with the drug
dealer who became the father of her only child.
she never sold, handled or used drugs, the U.S. government
still charged her with conspiracy, an offense that exposed
her to the same mandatory sentence a drug trafficker would
receive. Hall ended up dead. Smith landed in jail.
served 6.5 years,” explained the now first-year Howard
University law school student. In addition to the conspiracy
charge,Smithpleadedguiltytomoneylaunderingandmaking
false statements to Federal law enforcement agents. It was
hard to match those actions with the perfectly pretty and
poised, slender 34-year-old woman we interviewed.poised, slender 34-year-old woman we interviewed.
responsibility,”added Smith,who finished her undergraduateresponsibility,”added Smith,who finished her undergraduate
degree in Social Work at Virginia Union College. “Once I wasdegree in Social Work at Virginia Union College. “Once I was
incarcerated… there were times that I asked myself overincarcerated… there were times that I asked myself over
and over,‘why did you do this?’”and over,‘why did you do this?’”
disadvantaged position because I was not knowledgeable
about the streets.”
in, got caught up with the wrong crowd and eventually fell in
love with a drug dealer,Peter Michael Hall. Over the course of
their almost four-year relationship Smith experienced verbal
and physical abuse, and went from believing that she was
his main squeeze to being one of his“mules,”hauling money
between New York and Virginia. Out of fear for her safety
and that of her parents,she remained involved with the drug
dealer who became the father of her only child.
SmithToday
Whatever happened to the War on Drugs?
Today
Whatever happened to the War on Drugs?
“I also
kept busy
and built a
foundation
of strength by
reading a lot of
Black history. The
historical stories
enabled me to
compare the many
injustices that
have occurred to
our people over
the years to my
unfortunate
situation. Those
injustices made
my situation
seem not
so bad.”
PhotobyMagicGlamour
May | Jul 2006
PORT OF HARLEM22
FocusPersonalResponsibility
The war still rages on, but without the
scope of the media’s intense glare. Instead,
Iraq has eclipsed the plight of those who
have fallen prey to an American legal
system that is bent on treating first-time,
nonviolent, low-level offenders as drug
kingpins under mandatory sentencing
guidelines. While manyAmericans assume
that these laws are keeping hardened drug
lordsandcrackdealersfromterrorizingtheir
neighborhoods, there are more than a few
men and women behind bars who do not
match the stereotypical criminal profile.
One such person was Richmond, Virginia native
Kemba Smith. In May 1996, many Americans learned of her
dramaticstorywhenEmergepublished“Kemba’sNightmare,”
a 17-page cover story. The now defunct monthly published
follow-up stories in May 1998 and October 1999. The
publicity led to President Bill Clinton granting her clemency
in December 2000. As the only child of suburban Richmond
professionals, Smith grew up with many advantages many
other children dare to dream. She played the piano,and took
gymnastics and ballet. While thankful for the advantages,
Smith added, “Yea, I do think the advantages put me in a
By Anike Robinson and Wayne Young