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June 13, 2008
Ex-Manson Follower Wants Early Release Due to Illness
Convicted murderer Susan Atkins has earned a dubious honor: She has been the longest incarcerated woman in California history*, having logged 37 of her 59 years as an inmate following her conviction in the famous 1969 "Manson Murders."
Now, Atkins is pleading for an early compassionate release by State corrections officials because she faces another kind of life sentence--the impending end of her own. Although specific medical details have not been made public, Atkins is believed to be suffering from brain cancer and has a six-month life expectancy at this point. Her right leg has been amputated, possibly in connection to her illness, and she has already experienced one kind of release from prison, having been transferred in March from the California Institution for Women in Corona to an area hospital.
Officials at the Corona facility concluded that Atkins should be considered for release because of her failing health and because she no longer posed a risk to others.Several obstacles remain, however. Her bid for release must still be approved by officials at the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, [spokeswoman Terry] Thornton said. A positive recommendation would send her case to the state Board of Parole, which would conduct an investigation and issue its own findings, she said. That hearing could include public comment.
Many feel that no matter the extent of her illness nor her medical prognosis, Atkins should not be set free because she has not fully served her sentence for her role in the notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and several others in the tumultuous summer of 1969. Atkins has been denied parole a dozen times in the past; frequently requests such as this one are not granted.
Previously on LAist:
--Digging up Charles Manson Rumors
--Where are Manson's Children Now?
*See here for a correction of this information.
Photo of Susan Atkins in the courtroom via Cielodrive.com
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Let her die in jail.
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let the hippie breathe
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Sadie Atkins is also the batshit craziest of the 3 Manson gals in the hooskow. She was also the most blood-thirsty over at Sharon Tate's place. Let her rot there.
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"let the hippie breathe"
She deserves to die in prison for what she and the rest of those sociopaths did to all the real hippies every where.
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"She deserves to die in prison for what she and the rest of those sociopaths did to all the real hippies every where."
youre right. they did kinda give acid a bad name...
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It doesn't make sense that she should get out just because she's dying.
It does however make sense that the jail probably doesn't have adequate medical facilities for her condition. Not to mention the general overcrowding in jails throughout the state.
Then again, I'm not entirely thrilled that the, probably, very expensive medical procedures used to treat the cancer are being paid for with tax dollars.
Whatever happened to the death penalty?
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I'm with you all. Let her spend her last days in prison. Give the still grieving families that peace.
Although I am sure she is not the same person she was 40 years ago.
Bad, bad life choice.
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Susan Adkins should die in prison, she should have been given the death penalty all those years ago. Now she does have the death penalty via her illness, justice will have been served when she is dead. She deserves no mercy. Wasn't she the one who told Sharon Tate "I have no mercy for you"?
You reap what you sow!
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Dying sucks, don't it Susan? Nice if we could all die comfortably. Too bad Sharon and the others couldn't.
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She was given the death penalty, but California made the death penalty unlawful before the sentence could be carried out. I guess when they re-instituted the death penalty they decided it would have been f-ing with people's heads too much to say, "Psych!"
On one hand the Manson girls would have been out long ago had they not been connected to such a sensational murder, they were out of their minds on drugs and brainwashed. On the other hand, she was practically full of bloodlust.
In spite of her autobiography "Child of Satan, Child of God" in which she is saved, a friend of mine who served with her in the 80s said she was still totally batshit.
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"...a friend of mine who served with her in the 80s said she was still totally batshit."
Fanatics of any stripe often are.
I don't believe in the DP, but I do think justice would be served by her remaining in prison for the rest of her life.