her child's life, I could forgive
myself. ... It was my responsibility to try to become a better person
than I was."

Dozens of supporters turned out for Monday's hearing.

Andy Silverman, a University of Arizona law professor who has known
Smithey since working on an appeal for her in 1971, said, "I've changed
over those 41 years, and I can assure the board that she has as well.
... She's a good and caring person. She always shows more interest in
others than in herself."

After Monday's vote, Smithey smiled and waved to her supporters,
mouthing "thank you" and then clutching her niece Rebecca Henderson in a
tearful hug. Smithey shook each board member's hand and thanked them
before being led into the prison to prepare for her release.

Family members said they painted and decorated a room for herChoice.”

Members of the
Department of Corrections committee in charge of choosing the site,
including department director Chuck Ryan, sat in the chair normally
reserved for councilmembers in front of a packed chamber. First, Ryan
let the audience know that there will be hearings for all the remaining
seven site candidates, including one in Florence and one in Eloy, with a
final decision of the winning candidate by August 31.

Management
and Training Corporation, the company who will own the private
facility, then gave a presentation promoting the credentials and values
of the company. MTC’s representatives particularly emphasized their
history of training underprivileged people to have skills that will lead
to future employment, which led to their prison rehabilitation program,
which aims to educate inmates to be better qualified for the workforce.
They also emphasized their economic impact, which includes an extra
$300,000 in