Susan Atkins
- Filed under: Gadgets
- Date: Jun 13,2008
Susan Denise Atkins is a convicted American murderer who remains in prison in the State of California for her participation, along with Charles Manson and other members of the so-called “Manson family”, in a series of murders, often called the “Manson murders”, among which the most notorious are the “Sharon Tate/LaBianca” murders. In the space of five weeks in the summer of 1969, nine people were murdered at four locations. She was convicted of involvement in eight of these killings. Atkins’ sentence is seven years to life (she is eligible to apply for release on parole). She has been incarcerated since October 1, 1969.
On June 1, 2005, Atkins had her 17th parole hearing. This hearing was attended by various victims’ family members, such as Debra Tate and members of the Sebring family, and they requested that her parole be denied. She received a four-year denial (out of a maximum of five years). Her next hearing is scheduled for 2009.
While she was awaiting trial for the murder of Gary Hinman, Susan Atkins was placed in the Sybil Brand Institute, L.A.’s women’s house of detention. Her bed was next to that of 31-year-old Ronnie Howard. Another inmate, Virginia Graham, was a close friend of Ronnie’s. Susan Atkins was a real talker. She had an almost unbelievable story that Ronnie and Virginia listened to with absolute amazement.
In April 2008, it was revealed that Atkins had been hospitalized for more than a month with an undisclosed illness, which was subsequently reported to be terminal brain cancer. She has been given only several months to live and is hoping to receive a “compassionate release from prison”.
Susan Atkins, center, did the stabbing of actress Sharon Tate during the August 1969 murders in Benedict Canyon that are popularly blamed on Charles Manson. Atkins was the killer who famously wrote PIG in Tate’s blood on the front door of the home shared by the actress and her husband, Roman Polanski. Atkins was sentenced to death in 1971, but like all of the Manson followers who got death sentences, hers was changed to life in prison when capital punishment was temporarily deemed unconstitutional. The longest-serving female inmate in the California prison system, Atkins is reportedly dying of brain cancer and has had a leg amputated. A request for compassionate release is pending before prison authorities.
Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi says he is OK with Atkins getting out, given her failing health. Tate’s sister and last living relative, Debra Tate, wants Atkins to stay locked up.
Atkins, returning to her role as a devoted Masonite, was tried with Manson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten for first-degree murder for the Tate-LaBianca massacres. The girls carved an X on their foreheads and shaved their heads to show their solidarity and constantly disrupted the courtroom. In March of 1971, the group was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The state later overturned the death sentence to a life sentence. Atkins was sent to the California Institute for Women.
Technorati Tags: patricia krenwinkel, manson family, linda kasabian, leslie van houten, sharon tate
28 Responses for "Susan Atkins"
I just want to know how “compassionate” she was when Sharon Tate was begging for her life and the life of her unborn child? I don’t care how sick she is…she should NOT be released!
are you kidding me? that’s what the judge should say!!! I can’t believe the system is even thinking about letting her out..this is ridiculous and shameful…what about the victims?
“Look, bitch, you might as well face it right now, you’re going to die, and I don’t feel a thing behind it” those were Atkins last words to Sharon..well guess what?? now it’s our turn to say this to Atkins’ face..
Compassionate release? Are you kidding me? She helped BRUTALLY murder a pregnant woman and now she wants to be shown compassion during her illness? Bullsh*t!! To let her out now would be an offensive slap in the face to the Tate’s and the other victims families. She should rot in jail until she dies - that was the point of her life sentence. Amen!
She doesn’t deserve any compassion. She is dying a terrible death…aptly given to her heartless flesh, by God. She should die in a prison hospital. She shouldn’t be able to breathe any free air.
I agree, this killer should be kept in prison regardless of her pending death.
What really should be done is for prison officials to assure her, yes she’s going to be released because of her illness. Then, leave her there to die. She can be released in a coffin. She doesn’t even know the meaning of compassion.
I will be greatly disappointed if Susan Atkins is released as a
compassionate measure. Think of the suffering of the Tate family to know that this monster received mercy when their loved one was shown none. I’m sorry if this offends, but I fell no sadness that she’s in pain. I’m sure she and her “husband” are not thinking about the human beings she murdered 39 years ago. Burn in Hell!
Show her the same mercy she showed her victims!
She got an undeserved mercy when her death sentence got computed to life…she had better be glad of that…but of course she wants more. Life should mean life. I think she should die in jail without any pain meds.
Let this unmerciful animal die a merciful death? HELL NO!!!!!!! Rot in Hell, and I hope she suffers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now is the time to pay the piper, bitch…
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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How many prisoners have ever been released from a life sentence just because they had a terminal or life threating illness? I can’t think of many. People die in prison everyday. They are supposed to, they are serving LIFE sentences. I’m just appalled that someone is actually considering this release. This woman was sentenced to life behind bars and she should spend every day of that life no matter how sick she is, right there in prison.
She got the death penalty. That means she dies in prison and no parole. She should die in prison! Why is there a question? The death penalty is the death penalty. Compassion? No, not for any of them.
Compassionate release?
I think she was shown compassion when she was not put to death.
Amazing that this is being considered.
Die in prison where you belong. I agree with the no meds comment. Maybe her “husband” can show her mercy and knife her to death if she wants to go quicker. Is he paying for her medical expenses or are the tax payers footing her bill. If so he needs to be made to pay all costs.
If she truly has only six mos., with a leg amputated and if she is truly no threat to anyone (parole board or Governor should decide that) then I don’t think compassion is misplaced. In fact compassion is almost never misplaced. Vincent Bugliosi has said he has no objection.
When rightly punishing people, it doesn’t serve us well to embrace the values of the people we are punishing. That’s what makes us different and better.
Whether they release her or not, I hope Debra Tate finds or has found some peace. What a horror for her.
Absolutely not! She has NO right to be “free” anywhere! Please, we can’t allow this individual to roam our streets, neighborhoods, parks, shopping malls, or any public venue. If we do, what message would we be conveying to our children?
She shouldn’t be afforded any privileges - Sharon Tate & her unborn baby were VICTIMS, and were never given a chance; why should we even consider…?
I have remorse toward Susan’s husband;He’s a good person;However,Susan should remain Incarcerated.She along with Tex Watson ,were violent before they ever met Manson,Unlike Pat and Leslie.Susan needs to stop blaming other people for her actions and take responsibility.I might have a different view then.Her being released,will never happen;The public,as Is already seen,Is not going for it.
Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Poor Susan! Your life has been really a mess: A shoplifter, to a high school drop-out, to a strip dancer, to a suicider, to a rebellion, and finally a born-again.
Since you are human being as we all are. May God bless you and bless our society. This and many other blogs about S.A. are full of hatred. How sad! Everytime I drive by your CIW, I say another Our Father for Susan and all the inmates in there.
Life in prison is life in prison, it should be irrelevant if you pass away peacefully in your sleep, die of a terminal illness, or if you are knifed by a fellow inmate…
What a tragedy that Sharon Tate, her unborn son and all of the others that were in her home that evening did not have the opportunity to pass away peacefully in their sleep.
Extend your hand Susan and get ready to greet the devil.. The gates of hell yawn before you..
poor susan… may the god you found speed your release from this earth, and may you be rewarded for the good you did, and made from a tragic past. you’re in our prayers.
Susan Atkins is getting what she has coming to her. A ruthless killer by her own admission, she and her cohorts forever damaged the American psychi and put the feeling of fear in Hollywood for ever more.
a more disgusting act would be hard to find…Now Susan and Tex Watson try to ease thier minds under the umbrella of god….its the only way they can live day to day knowing what they did….Tex has even married and fathered children while running his minestry…did Sharons baby get to grow up? Did Abby Folger ever get to live a life and have children?…Tex and Susans attack also brought on the death of Doris tate and Sharons sister…no doubt caused by the years of stress and hurt over losing loved ones.
I have never heard Charlie, Tex, Susan, Pat, Leslie even say I am sorry….They hide behind God and they take whatever God will do to comfort them but they dont talk about the Tate/ La Bianca murders showing me that they still do not accept responsibility for the crimes.
They blame the drugs, society, everyone else but them.
I have not one iota of compassion for the woman who killed Sharon Tate, Jay Seebring, Abigail Folger , Frykowski and the care taker…..
I wish she would “Man up” and take her punishment and stop whining about being set free…just die already
I remember reading the book “Helter Skelter” when I was in high school, and being horrified by the details of the murders. I remember thinking that the inhumanity shown to the victims of the murders was the same inhumanity shown the victims of the Holocaust. Susan Adkins and her brethren would have fit right in with Hitler’s ideology.
Do I think she should be released from prison to die at home? No. I’m all for compassion, mind you, but not compassion for murderers. The only compassion I retain is the compassion for those who have been murdered and their loved ones who are given a life sentence of grief and pain. It disgusts me when people develop this sense of compassion for people in prison for murder, especially women or men who fall in love with incarcerated killers. Those people are pathologically sick and need intensive therapy. I don’t give a tinker’s damn whether a murderer is rehabilitated or not; whether he/she finds a god to believe in; whether he/she does “good works” in prison. None of that replaces the lives taken. There is no redemption on this planet for Susan Adkins. If there is a merciful being in charge of the universe, let him/her/it deal with this evil person after she’s died.
I’ve heard Christians say that they believed Jeffrey Dahmer found God in prison and was saved. I tell them that Jeffrey Dahmer found death in prison, and that is the redemption he deserved. Spare me your bleeding hearts, Christians. You’re the ones who elected Bush. God help you.
They should save their pleas for mercy to the demos who have reserved a stinky place for the exclusive use of Susan Atkins’ soul in hell.
Susan Atkins needs to stay where she is. If she is as incapacitated as her lawyer/husband says she is, it does not matter where she spends her final days. One bed is as good as another. As to her costing the state money, well, even if she were released; she is indigent, and terminally ill. Therefore, she is eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Consequently the state and federal government will still be picking up her health care tab. Susan Atkins was shown mercy when her death sentence was overturned. I do, however, feel sorry for her family, who are her victims as well. Her brother claims she was abused; and if this is true, I am sorry for her victimization. There are many people who are abused and do not go out and commit gory premeditated murder. I have never seen Susan Atkins show true remorse or take responsibility for her actions. “I was under Manson’s spell.” (Therefore it wasn’t me). “I was on drugs” (Therefore, I am not responsible.). It is also my personal opinion that she is using her jailhouse religion to manipulate the prison system to release her. If she has truly had a conversion, and has made her peace with God, that is truly a blessing for her(and I don’t mean this sarcastically). However, she still has to answer to the temporal powers here on earth as well. Life should mean life, and she should live out her life in prison. I am sure that the prison staff will be sensitive to the family and allow them time to say their goodbyes privately. She would like to die, surrounded by her loved ones. Sharon Tate was not given that option. Since her incarceration, Susan Atkins has been married at least twice. Before her conviction she gave birth to a son. After her sentence, no one in her family would assume responsibility for the baby so he was placed for adoption. Hopefully, he has had a happy, full life. Susan was able to give birth and see her son, something she denied Sharon Tate. Sharon’s son never took his first breath. No first steps, no first words, no first day of school, no graduations, no wedding, no children. Where was Susan’s compassion as Sharon Tate pleaded for her life and the life of her unborn child? Susan Atkin’s life on earth will soon be over, and she will be standing before the One who will judge us all. It is my suggestion that her family bury her in an unmarked grave. Due to the henious nature of her crimes a marked grave site will only draw the macabre, as well as those who are still appalled and outraged at her crimes and will attempt to desecrate her grave.
I am very happy that Susan Atkins’ request was denied. I agree with everyone who said that she should be given the same mercy and compassion she showed her victims — none. I truly believe that she is evil, along with the rest of that brood and that she received compassion when her death sentence was commuted to life in prison where she has been fed, educated and housed for the past 39 years at the taxpayers’ expense. Now she is receiving costly medical care at the expense of the taxpayer once again. I say let her suffer without the benefits of morphine and other pain meds. In fact, her leg should have been amputated without the advantage of anaesthesia, so that she too could feel the pain of her flesh being ravaged by a blade. When her time comes, she will spend an awful lot of time facing the devil to atone for her sins.
Your statement that Susan stabbed Sharon Tate is incorrect if you read the coroners report. It states that only one knife was used on Ms. Tate, delivered with a strong force. That would be Charles Watson, who states very clearly that Susan didn’t stab Ms. Tate, he did. This is also how she testified to the Grand Jury when she was offered the possibility of life instead of death. Susan just made a bunch of stories up because she was scared in jail and wanted to look bad ass so the other prisoners wouldn’t do anything to her. Bugliosi however has turned her stories into a myth we all believe. Also in the Hinman trial Bobby says he killed him while Susan was in the other room, which is how she testified at that trial. Not to say she wasn’t there or participated, but she like Charlie are among the most infamous people to have been convicted of murder without actually killing anyone.
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