Josh Mankiewicz

No, you were like, you saw this, I'm thinking, through the bars of your crib.

No, you were like, you saw this, I'm thinking, through the bars of your crib.

I was 15. Okay. All right. Because I was, I think, 65 then. Shut up. Uh, I remember, I remember this story. I was actually, um, not only was I a TV reporter at this, at this stage, I was not working. I had not come to Dateline yet.

I was 15. Okay. All right. Because I was, I think, 65 then. Shut up. Uh, I remember, I remember this story. I was actually, um, not only was I a TV reporter at this, at this stage, I was not working. I had not come to Dateline yet.

And I was working for a show that had stopped producing episodes and we were all just kind of getting paid, waiting for them to figure out what they were going to do next, which turned out to be nothing. So I had a lot of time to watch coverage of this. And I did, I remember watching a lot of it.

And I was working for a show that had stopped producing episodes and we were all just kind of getting paid, waiting for them to figure out what they were going to do next, which turned out to be nothing. So I had a lot of time to watch coverage of this. And I did, I remember watching a lot of it.

And I'm presuming that even when the TV wasn't on, everybody was talking about it. It's all anybody could talk about. You know, the detail of her story, I remembered this when I saw it in your broadcast. The guy jumps in the car, supposedly, and says, you know, he's got a gun. He's like, just drive. And she said, and the boys were crying.

And I'm presuming that even when the TV wasn't on, everybody was talking about it. It's all anybody could talk about. You know, the detail of her story, I remembered this when I saw it in your broadcast. The guy jumps in the car, supposedly, and says, you know, he's got a gun. He's like, just drive. And she said, and the boys were crying.

And I remember thinking, like, man, they must have been terrified. Like, they could tell something was wrong. They knew how frightened she was. That was the moment where I thought, oh, my God, how awful that must be. And, of course, all made up.

And I remember thinking, like, man, they must have been terrified. Like, they could tell something was wrong. They knew how frightened she was. That was the moment where I thought, oh, my God, how awful that must be. And, of course, all made up.

I mean, she she sold this really well. It wasn't like she was refusing to talk to anybody or wouldn't speak afterwards. I mean, correct. She absolutely played her part.

I mean, she she sold this really well. It wasn't like she was refusing to talk to anybody or wouldn't speak afterwards. I mean, correct. She absolutely played her part.

Yeah. I mean, I don't want to say it was a simpler or more innocent time, but it may have been a less suspicious time because without, without social media and the internet, uh, The impulse was to believe her story. She's telling the truth. Yep. And people did believe it.

Yeah. I mean, I don't want to say it was a simpler or more innocent time, but it may have been a less suspicious time because without, without social media and the internet, uh, The impulse was to believe her story. She's telling the truth. Yep. And people did believe it.

And then, clearly, I mean, at some point, law enforcement starts doing what I think was a pretty good job, like figuring out, like, her story about the stoplight couldn't have been true. That's a... That's pretty good police work in a time when there weren't cameras at every intersection.

And then, clearly, I mean, at some point, law enforcement starts doing what I think was a pretty good job, like figuring out, like, her story about the stoplight couldn't have been true. That's a... That's pretty good police work in a time when there weren't cameras at every intersection.

Can't track her, nothing. No, no. Old school. Right. I mean, today that story wouldn't stand up because of technology. Back then? You know, you told it and you sold it. And she did. You guys got some conversations, some audio from those conversations. Now, those have not been played before. And they're chilling, I thought.

Can't track her, nothing. No, no. Old school. Right. I mean, today that story wouldn't stand up because of technology. Back then? You know, you told it and you sold it. And she did. You guys got some conversations, some audio from those conversations. Now, those have not been played before. And they're chilling, I thought.

Yeah. So, you know, Susan Smith initially, I mean, after she eventually told the truth, she first said that she sort of tried to drown herself along with her sons. Anybody believe that?

Yeah. So, you know, Susan Smith initially, I mean, after she eventually told the truth, she first said that she sort of tried to drown herself along with her sons. Anybody believe that?