Netflix's latest true-crime documentary film, State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith is available to stream and download now.
The gripping documentary from The Keepers director Ryan White delves into the case of Alabama mother Brittany Smith, who admitted to shooting a man she alleged raped her in her home.
Smith was ultimately charged with murder and the documentary traces her legal battle, where she planned to use the "stand your ground" defense. In over 30 U.S. states, it is not deemed illegal to use lethal force to defend yourself against threats or perceived threats, including in the state of Alabama where the killing took place.
State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith raises questions about whether women in the U.S. are able to use the legal system to defend themselves in the same way that men are.
Newsweek has everything you need to know about Brittany Smith and where she is now.
What Happened to Brittany Smith?
In January 2019, Brittany Smith from Stevenson, Alabama, was allegedly attacked by 38-year-old Todd Smith (no relation). He was a former friend of Brittany and had met her as a teenager but the pair had lost touch over the years.
Just days before the shooting incident at her home, Brittany had reconnected with Todd as he was a pitbull breeder and she wanted to purchase a puppy.
When they met, he told Brittany he was homeless and she agreed to let him stay at her house.
As seen in State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith on Netflix, Brittany testified in court how Todd had raped and choked her at her home in Stevenson.
She then called her brother Chris McCallie who drove his sister to a nearby store to get cigarettes. While inside, Brittany told the shop clerk about the assault and wrote Todd Smith's name on a piece of paper, telling the clerk if she was found dead, Todd would be responsible, details AL.com.
When she and her brother returned to her home, Brittany told McCallie to go back to the shop and speak to the clerk. Soon after, McCallie returned to Brittany's home and confronted Todd, with a gun in his hand.
The pair got into an altercation, with Todd putting McCallie in a headlock and choking him.
Brittany Smith told the court Todd Smith then threatened to kill her and her brother. Seconds later, she shot and killed Todd.
Speaking in the documentary, Brittany told filmmaker White: "I was arrested for murder, the man was in my home. I did what I thought I had to do. Because if I wouldn't have, my brother and I both would be dead."
After the incident, a sexual assault nurse documented over 30 injuries on Brittany's body, including bruises, bite marks, and signs of strangulation. However, the nurse told the court she could not determine whether Brittany had been raped, State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith reveals.
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She entered a not-guilty plea but admitted to shooting Todd Smith, citing self-defense and seeking to use the Stand Your Ground defense.
However, the judge argued that Brittany did not need to use any sort of lethal force to end the altercation. The fact her brother McCallie had brought a gun into the home also portrayed him as an aggressor in the judge's eyes.
As explained in State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith, the judge accepted the injuries inflicted on Brittany were consistent with physical assault but inconsistent with sexual assault.
As seen in State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith, Brittany was offered a plea deal by the prosecution: to accept a 25-year sentence.
At first, Brittany was determined not to take the plea, proclaiming she would not go to jail for a crime she did not commit.
However, before she was set to stand trial in 2020, Brittany was further indicted on a second-degree arson count for setting a fire inside a mobile home in Stevenson, risking more years being added to her sentence.
As a result, on the evening of her trial in November 2020, she entered a guilty plea to murder and arson, accepting a 20-year sentence for the murder of Todd Smith and 15 years for arson.
The sentence was ultimately reduced to just 36 months, with credit for the time already served, explains The Cinemaholic.
In total, Brittany was released after 18 months behind bars and began 18 months of house arrest in May 2021.
In a shocking development after Brittany's conviction, it was revealed by that Todd had various violent charges to his name, including domestic violence against women. He had been arrested a total of 71 times.
Where is Brittany Smith Now?
Today, Brittany Smith, 34, is behind bars at the medium-security Montgomery Women's Facility in Montgomery County, Alabama.
Smith violated her probation on three occasions and was ordered to return to jail on two counts of violation of probation.
On one occasion, she used someone else's urine during a drug test after she relapsed on methamphetamine on March 5, 2022.
Court documents obtained by AL.com detail how Brittany Smith had notified her probation officer on October 27, 2021 that she wished to hand out candy at a Halloween event her children were attending in Stevenson. The request was denied but she was permitted to see her children before the event.
Smith sent the officer a text message saying that she sat in a car during the event and took videos of herself to show she didn't leave the vehicle.
Nevertheless, it was recommended she receive a 45-day jail sentence for parole violation.
According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, Brittany Smith could be released from prison on December 7, 2022.
State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith is streaming on Netflix now.
Correction 11/14/22, 5:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated to attribute reporting of the court proceedings to AL.com.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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