Manson follower Atkins to go free?

[ABlairican Pie]

MSNBC.com

Manson follower Atkins may go free

Terminally ill killer could get ‘compassionate release’ to die outside prison


Susan Atkins, left, sits in a Santa Monica, Calif., courtroom Oct. 13, 1970, as Charles Manson walks in before pleas were entered for them for the 1969 killings of actress Sharon Tate and others.

The Associated Press
updated 10:50 a.m. PT, Fri., June. 13, 2008

CORONA, Calif. - Former Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins, convicted in the 1969 murder of actress Sharon Tate, could soon be released from prison because she is near death, authorities said.

Atkins, 59, is terminally ill and being considered for so-called "compassionate release," state corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said. She gave no details of Atkins' illness but said a doctor had determined she had less than six months to live.

The corrections department was reviewing the request, which if approved would then be passed to the state Board of Parole, which has the power to release prisoners under state law so they can die with loved ones, at their expense.

Such releases are relatively rare — only 10 of the 60 requests made last year were granted, Thornton said. The prisoners must have family members willing and able to care for them.

Atkins, now a gray-haired, matronly-looking woman, was one of cult leader Manson's ersatz hippie "family" of young killers who burst into a Beverly Hills home 39 years ago and killed Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, along with four others. The following night they stabbed to death a wealthy couple in their Los Angeles home.


Atkins has been denied parole 11 times, most recently in 2005.

She was housed in the California Institution for Women in Corona for 37 years but has been in a nearby hospital since March.


Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Jo_Luvs_Ketchup]

Compassionate release? Susan Atkins wasn't compassionate when Sharon Tates begged for the life of her unborn baby!

[Ireneparalegal]

Life in prison means LIFE IN PRISON AND DIE IN PRISON.

You commit murder, don't expect leniency.

Hey Susan, its called KARMA!!!!!!

[Penny Lane]

Susan Atkins Then and Now

[Liza]

Good lord, I hope this doesn't happen. This is one woman that, I'm sorry to say, deserves to die in prison.

I've read a lot about the Manson family and the murders, and this is one person that should never, ever be allowed to see freedom ever again.

Did she actually kill Sharon Tate? Stories on that account differ. She did however say that she wished she could have cut the baby out and drove it through a spike to take home to Charlie.

And everyone agrees on one point: she was there. She helped tie Sharon up and watched while Tex Watson and the other girls brutally murdered Abigail Folger, Voytek Frojkowski (sp?), Jay Sebring, Steve Parent & Sharon Tate. She let it happen, and didn't do a thing about it.

I'm normally against the death penalty, but this girl was sentanced to death. She's lucky she's lived this long. Let her die a free woman? Ask the relatives of the LaBiancas and Tates if they think that should happen!

[Liza]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Life in prison means LIFE IN PRISON AND DIE IN PRISON.

You commit murder, don't expect leniency.

Hey Susan, its called KARMA!!!!!!

She was actually sentanced to death. However California abolished the death penalty right in time for her. It's so cruel that Sharon's relatives and the relatives of all the other victims kept having to go back to the parole hearings to prevent her getting out. Sharon's mom & sisters never, ever got over it. They made it their lives work to keep all of these killers in jail.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Liza

She was actually sentanced to death. However California abolished the death penalty right in time for her. It's so cruel that Sharon's relatives and the relatives of all the other victims kept having to go back to the parole hearings to prevent her getting out. Sharon's mom & sisters never, ever got over it. They made it their lives work to keep all of these killers in jail.

Yes, I did know she was sentenced to death. As were many other people during that time. Being from So. Calif. we know this case all too well. Of course, we now have the death penalty and it is a shame we can't reverse the decision.

So, like I said, LIFE IN PRISON SHOULD MEAN DIE IN PRISON. When you are sentenced, the judge doesn't say, "In the event you should have a terminal illness, you can get early release."

[Liza]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Yes, I did know she was sentenced to death. As were many other people during that time. Being from So. Calif. we know this case all too well. Of course, we now have the death penalty and it is a shame we can't reverse the decision.

So, like I said, LIFE IN PRISON SHOULD MEAN DIE IN PRISON. When you are sentenced, the judge doesn't say, "In the event you should have a terminal illness, you can get early release."

Sorry Irene, I guess I forgot who I was talking to

And I totally agree with you. Life means Life. It don't mean you get out if you get sick.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Liza

Sorry Irene, I guess I forgot who I was talking to

And I totally agree with you. Life means Life. It don't mean you get out if you get sick.

The only good thing abt her being sick is that we won't have to read abt her going up for a parole hearing anymore. I wish Manson would hurry up and get sick.

[Janice]

I don't think she'll be released. She's being considered, as they all are when it comes time for parole or whatever. The article states that these types of releases are rare, which really makes me think that they're not about to make an exception to that scum. A person doesn't have to be from California to have extra knowledge of this case. I've been following it since I was a teen. I was actually borderline obsessed with this case for many years.

[Ireneparalegal]

Yes, it is true it is rare, but it is because the prisoner must have family/friends willing to take care of them upon their release. If you apply for the compassion release but don't have anyone on the outside who is willing to take care of you, you will be denied. Atkins has family/friends who are more than willing to care for her if she is released, so her chances are better than others.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Yes, it is true it is rare, but it is because the prisoner must have family/friends willing to take care of them upon their release. If you apply for the compassion release but don't have anyone on the outside who is willing to take care of you, you will be denied. Atkins has family/friends who are more than willing to care for her if she is released, so her chances are better than others.

I realize that, but only 10 out of 60 requests were granted last year. Given that fact, I doubt she'll be one of the ones to walk. Who knows though, maybe some of the bleeding hearts who fought for Tookie Williams will fight for her.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Janice

I realize that, but only 10 out of 60 requests were granted last year. Given that fact, I doubt she'll be one of the ones to walk. Who knows though, maybe some of the bleeding hearts who fought for Tookie Williams will fight for her.

I hope you're right. It's possible in a murder case there could be mitigating factors but I don't see any HERE. Atkins is still alive 34+ more than the woman and child she brutally murdered.

I just wonder how much those bleeding hearts would bleed were the blood brutally shed from ONE OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

[Hollow]

damn, that's ********.

[OH Nuts!]

The Atkins case also shows that life imprisonment, as in a TRUE life imprisonment w no parole, can be an even WORSE punishment than death. It's no picnic.

Not that I'm against capital punishment per se, I think in 5-10% of the crimes meriting it it's approp. as long as there is ironclad forensic/DNA evidence. If ever there was anyone deserving capital punishment it was Atkins. Dying or not, Atkins should rot in jail.

My major concern with cap. punishment is that many have been falsely convicted in capital cases and later exhonerated. Many indigent who had bad legal representation. Had they been executed, nothing could have been done.