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After being denied a compassionate release last July, Susan Atkins may have one more shot at freedom. Atkins comes up for her 18th bid for parole May 28.
According to her legal team:
Under California law the Parole Board must find Susan suitable for parole unless they determine her release would constitute a danger to society. Though Susan...is now paralyzed over 85% of her body, can not sit up in bed, and can not even be moved into a wheelchair, there is still a very real chance the Parole Board will none the less insist her release would be a danger to society.
Manson family members have never been granted parole. Ashley Broughton of CNN points out, "Susan Atkins, Charles "Tex" Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten have repeatedly been described as model prisoners who have accepted responsibility for their crimes."
In the rough draft of her recent book posted on her husband and lawyer's website, Atkins appears to show remorse, "They were heinous, degraded, and depraved murders of completely innocent people - people with loved ones, families, friends, dreams and hopes just like the rest of us - and all for the basest and most arrogant of causes; the serving of Charles Manson’s self-interest." In spite of all of the remorse and rehabilitation in the world, it has long been accepted that none of the Manson family members will ever be free. Somehow the Manson murders scarred Los Angeles, bringing terror, suspicion, and the end of the era of hippie love.
The debate over Atkin's upcoming hearing is heated, with victims' family members vociferously fighting any parole attempts and the war raging on the blogs and in the tabloids. The UK's Daily Star (which also sensationally and erroneously reports that Atkins drank Sharon Tate's blood) quotes SharonTate's sister Debra, as saying “The Manson Family are sociopaths who can never be rehabilitated...Has everyone forgotten the sheer barbarity of their actions and the sheer evil of their intent? The seven murders they committed were so vicious and so depraved there can be no turning back.” The same quote is coincidentally cited in the CNN piece.
In spite of an impressive amount of typos and some heavy-hitting bible quotes, the blog Baby Boomers Advisors Club makes some compelling emotional arguments, specifically that serving as model prisoners is simply a case of "too little too late". The blog states, "My opinion is that they all have lived 30 years longer then any of their victims." Actually, Atkins has also already outlived the prognosis of 3 to 6 years to live that was so often quoted last July.
Still, with all of the arguments against release, there is just the slightest possibility this time. It may be hard to convince the parole board that a 60 year-old with one leg and a brain tumor is much of a threat to society. But the legal requirement of proving a threat will probably always be overshadowed by the infamy and mercilessness of the crimes. Governor Schwarzenegger has promised to block all attempts at parole (in spite of this amazing picture unearthed by Cranky Greg's View).
A 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer:
Vincent Bugliosi regarding the previous bid for compassionate release:
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Since I don't believe in the death penalty, I think all of them should serve the rest of their natural lives without any possibility of parole.
Yeah, isn't life in prison, uh, supposed to be life in prison? Not "go sit in a corner until you feel bad about what you did." And aren't they all serving several life sentences? (Or is that just Manson, who was originally supposed to be put to death?)
ITA
There's no way even the most repentant of murderers are going to be able to un-kill their victims. Besides, if the corrections system starts getting lenient on these types of life sentences it's only going to hand ammunition to the pro-capital punishment crowd.
I can hear them now.
well i do believe in the death penalty, and all i gotta do is look at the crime scene pictures AGAIN and it reinstates the fact that they all should have been hung, and they ARE dammmmed lucky they just got life. charles manson did not hold the knife in susans hands thrusting it into those victims. he may have influenced her but she did it on her own. yes she mADE THE MISTAKE, IT WAS A BIG ONE. AND WHO IS SHE TO FORGIVE? NO ONE Will FORGIVE HER, THEREFORE SHE DOESN'T OWE ANY ONE ANYTHING!
Susan Atkins also received the death penalty, but when it was abolished in 1972 the sentence was changed to the harshest at the time, 7 years to life. It allows for parole.
I've got to take jrb's side in this.
Susan should be released...no 2 ways about it. She is a different woman from the one in 1969 and has served near on 40 YEARS for what she did! What harm is she going to do anyone? None. Is she a threat to society? No.
Stop with all the high and mighty comments. U know she should be released to die at home and I really hope she is come the end of May...good luck Susan...
Johnny the Beast, I agree 100% with you. Release S.A. to save the State of California which is on the verge of bankrupcy. To those who are against releasing S.A., are you ok seeing hundreds, if not thousands of teachers being laid off due to budget crisis? What do you keep Susan Atkins in jail for? Are you ok seeing hundreds and thousands of public services being cut because California is out of money? Why do you have to keep paying for Susan Atkins' medical bills. Where are your minds? Please stop talking non-sense, and be realistic.
Good luck!
So, you think prisoners should be released to save money?
Think about the ramifications of this thinking! As for releasing her because she is "sick", and letting her die at home. She had absolutely no compassion for any of the people she had a hand in murdering in cold blood. She deserves no better than she gave them!
Donann,
1) If you think keeping Susan Atkins in jail because she is of any danger to the society, then please say this on the America's Funniest Movie. Let's see how hard people laugh at your argument.
2) If you think because she had no compassion for the victims, then we should do the same to her, you are really no better than the murderers.
3) Put yourself in shoes of the Californians who got affected by the budget cut, then you would know how important it is to save cost for the state of CA by releasing the inmates that qualify for parole. Isn't that what the parole is for? To show mercy to the criminals as soon as they deserve it, and to save money for the society, and more importantly to show that we are more humane than the criminals.
Donann,
1) If you think keeping Susan Atkins in jail because she is of any danger to the society, then please say this on the America's Funniest Movie. Let's see how hard people laugh at your argument.
2) If you think because she had no compassion for the victims, then we should do the same to her, you are really no better than the murderers.
3) Put yourself in shoes of the Californians who got affected by the budget cut, then you would know how important it is to save cost for the state of CA by releasing the inmates that qualify for parole. Isn't that what the parole is for? To show mercy to the criminals as soon as they deserve it, and to save money for the society, and more importantly to show that we are more humane than the criminals.
For a woman who should have been put to death years ago, I think not...
Show mercy on this woman? This woman who sat in court and mocked as the attacks on her 7 victims were discribed in detail... the woman who laughed in court.
Sharon Tate pleaded to her killers to hold her hostage for 2 weeks so she could have her child before they kill her. Atkins said, "Woman, I have no mercy for you." She bragged to other inmates about tasting Tate's blood. Why would anyone show her mercy?
Should this woman spend her dying moments being cared for and kept safe by those who love her when she couldnt grant that to 8 people, 7 of which died at her hands?
Releasing her to save money sets a horrible example for the future of the justice system, especially for a woman who was originally sentinced to death. That sentence was not revoked because "sadie" herself did anything to deserve to live.
Besides, the money being used on her heath care, would be in that same budget. If you know anything about the government, they can't use that money in any other sector.
The problem with this is that to much time has past and people have forgotten what it was like in southern California when these whack jobs were running around killing people.In the tate murders Atkins rounded up the other occupants in the house including 8 month pregnant Sharon Tate.We cant be sure if Atkins stabbed Tate but she did stab Wojciech Frykowski one of the people staying there that night.They just didnt murder those people they butchered them.With Tate on the ground already mortally wounded begging for the life of her child and screaming for her mother as she bled out.Atkins then wrote the word pig in tate's blood on the front door.This was just one of massacres that she was part of.Susan Atkins got her breaks she had her death sentenced commuted and she got to have conjugal visits in prison while her victims were long dead.Its easy for you guys to say justice was served after 40 years but i bet if you guys saw that crime scene the next day you wouldnt be so quick to forgive.Imagine your wife your sister your mother being 8 months pregnant and then being stabbed 20 times bleeding out on the living room floor like a animal.She was there she was culpable and justice will be served when she takes her last breath and they carry her out of prison in a body bag.
It has nothing to do with her being a risk to society i doubt she has been a risk for the last 20 years.Its about punishment.
Shawn -
Your comment started out very promising. But I was bemused with your idea of punishment. What for? I don't think our constitution allows retaliation. Then how do you justify punishment in Susan's case?
sorry but some of us remmeber it like it was yesterday. for another commentabove, being rude to her makes you just as bad. excuse me, i never murdered a pregant woman or anybody else. no compassion here, in any way,shape or form!
hopefully charles will be next with painful cancer of the pe*&^
you are right! if these bleedy hearts looked up the crime scene photos they may have a different opinion. or maybe they could imagine thier loved one laying on the ground soaked in their own blood. wondering the terror they were enduring while it was going on. i think THESE BLEEDY HEARTS are just as bad as the criminal!
There is a reasonable argument to be made concerning the definition of 'threat to society' in that Atkins herself may not be capable of directly posing a physical risk to others but she is fully capable of becoming propelled as a symbol, an icon, or even a Charlie Manson herself. Manson did not actually wield weapons against the victims, yet he coerced and influenced others to commit heinous acts.
Also, Atkins may actually be safer within the confines of the prison compared to being in a private home or hospital where people may be compelled to act against her or even for her. Don't forget that there are weirdos out there who try to make a name for themselves by harming people with infamous histories. All we need is someone who tries to save society by taking out Atkins themselves if she is released.
Leave her in prison, no changes and no more parole hearings that enrich her husband's wallet. Her husband is her lawyer and he is paid by the state to defend her and represent her. He married her decades after the crimes were committed and his motives are highly questionable, seems that he is financially driven.
Stanley - I am sure if Atkins can talk for herself now, she would request to be able to stay in jail until she dies to enjoy the free healthcare. I would cut short of talking about Mr. Whitehouse' motive in marrying Atkins. Since I don't know.
like it was said earlier, life w/o paroll means exactly that. not just sort of. not only should she pass away in prison they should dig the hole on the grounds!
ChinaB -
Let's talk a bit about the budget. Even though the government can't use that money in any other sector, they can use it to incarcerate more criminals, who are at large just because the government doesn't have enough money to handle them.
log in to crimeshots.com and you tell me she should have a compassion release.