ORANEGBURG, S.C. (WACH) -- Shaquan Duley, the Orangeburg mother who admitted suffocating her two young sons, was sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday. She faced between 30 years and life in prison.
Duley, 30, plead guilty to murder earlier in March. Prosecutors say she killed the children after being badgered by her mother about poor parenting. By pleading guilty, Duley avoided a possible death penalty.
"We finally have some closure in this case," said Solicitor David Pascoe. "We don't have to worry about an appeal."
Duley shared her story shared her story with Oprah Winfrey who traveled to Orangeburg last week for the interview.
In video clips released to The Associated Press, Duley nods after Winfrey asks if she knew, after killing one son, she would then have to kill the second. In another clip, Duley cries after Winfrey asks how she felt after the two deaths.
The interview airs at 9 p.m. April 1 as part of "Oprah's Next Chapter" on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Duley suffocated her sons Devan, 2, and 18-month-old Javan at the Trumps Inn in downtown Orangeburg in August 2010. She then drover her car into the Edisto River with the boys bodies strapped into their car seats.
Defense attorney Carl B. Grant has said that Duley tried to kill herself the night of her sons' deaths.
"This is a very tragic situation. There is no doubt about that. So she decided to accept responsibility and plead guilty and get this matter behind her," said Grant
Duley's mental health was evaluated by doctors for the Defense and the Solicitors Office. The results were mixed, according to Solicitor David Pascoe.
"They have a doctor who says she was mentally ill at the time of the crime. We had her examined by a Forensics Psychiatrist at the Department of Mental Health. He found that yes, Ms. Duley did have some mental illness. But not to the point where she would be insane," said Pascoe.
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