Manson follower Susan Atkins, with six months to live, granted parole hearing

Last year, doctors diagnosed Susan Atkins with terminal cancer, prompting a failed bid by the convicted murderer and Charles Manson follower to receive a "compassionate release" from state prison.

But Atkins, who gained infamy for her role in the 1969 slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and others in a bloody two-night rampage in Los Angeles, may get one last chance to convince state parole officials she should no longer be kept behind bars.

Officials with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Thursday they have scheduled a Sept. 2 parole hearing for Atkins in Los Angeles.

Atkins has served 38 years in prison, longer than any other female prisoner, officials said. Before last year's attempt, she was most recently considered for, and denied, parole in 2000.

In early 2008 Atkins was diagnosed with brain cancer. With one leg amputated and the other paralyzed, Atkins has only six months to live, doctors say. Atkins petitioned for so-called compassionate release, igniting a debate about when mercy is appropriate.

Those backing her release argued unsuccessfully that the cost of keeping Atkins in prison, which by now could be well over a million dollars, should have favored her release because it would save the state substantial amounts of money.

Others, including former Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, said it was a question of mercy and told The Times it was wrong to say "just because Susan Atkins showed no mercy to her victims, we therefore are duty-bound to follow her inhumanity and show no mercy to her."

But most were unwavering in their contention she should die in prison considering her crimes.

Tate, the wife of film director Roman Polanski, was 8 1/2 months pregnant when she and four others were killed at her hilltop home in Benedict Canyon. The actress, who was stabbed to death, had begged Atkins for her life.

"She asked me to let her baby live," Atkins told parole officials in 1993. "I told her I didn't have mercy for her."

Atkins was housed at the California Institution for Women in Corona from April 1971 until March 2008, when she was transferred to a local hospital for treatment.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Undated photograph of Susan Atkins. Credit: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation / Associated Press

Comments

[Victim Rights extremist]

Let the victims families be the final "parole authority" on this one!

[Erika]

There should be no mercy for her. This should not even be an issue. She was sentenced for a reason and has not been released for a reason.

[Freddy]

The article seems to imply that if she is released the State will no longer have to pay for her healthcare thus saving money. Why - does she have a few mil stashed on the outside? Of course not, the State will pay regardless of whether she is in or out.

[Nils]

Nope . You die in prison . We need to adopt this attitude to all the murderers . You go in ....you stay in . End of story .

[jamesincalifornia]

If she were released from prison now, how could she support herself? Who would care for her? How could she pay for medical or hospice care? Perhaps keeping her in prison is really the kind and humane decision at this final stage in her life.

[C Green]

I understand the desire to be compasionate in the cool of three decades worth of hindsight. Yet I find that whatever sufering she is doing is quite small compared to hacking a pregnant woman to death after the victim begged for mercy. do we as a society have no limits of excusing any misadventure no matter how beastly. I try to be compassionate in my life, yet her deeds exceed my limits.

[paul]

Cut off her other leg, and both hands, then let her out!!!

[Just Ed]

Release her to the death chamber in San Quentin.

[Mike]

Don't let time forget what she did. Keep her in prizon.

[Patrick]

Atkins says, "She asked me to let her baby live," Atkins told parole officials in 1993. "I told her I didn't have mercy for her."

I guess this is enough said. You must have some compasion before you can expect to rceive some compassion from others.

Patrick

[Reality Master]

This is the same woman that sliced Sharon Tate to death with a knife and was supposed to die last year. Just can't seem to do us all a favor and take her final journey (Her medical bills alone have cost the state over $2 million so far).

This is the same charmer who tried to carve Tate's baby out of her body after cutting her up. She drank the corpse's blood afterwards according to the court's records..

I don't care if she's repentant. I don't care if she's found God.

THIS WOMAN SHOULD BE ON A ONE-WAY TRIP TO HELL.

NEVER, EVER, LET HER OUT.

[KCSO053ret]

It is inconceivable this multiple murderer is being considered for release. She was an active participant in one of the most heinous crimes committed in recent history, and is impenitent. The specious argument that her release "would save the state" money is preposterous. She has no means of support and the state will pay for her care even if she is released. We may not be "duty-bound to follow her inhumanity" but we are certainly not obliged to reduce her lawful sentence to life in prison. Our moral obligation is to remember the victims with compassion...

[Big Jim Slade]

Susan Atkins was given the DEATH sentence. But for some temporary idiocy the California Supreme Court, she would have been executed decades ago.

The message sent by giving her a parole (for this blood sucking killing ghoul) would be just wrong.

[David]

Every one wonders why our state and county are broke???

Great example here, this woman killed innocent people and we have been clothing her, feeding her and housing her for 38 years and now she wants to be out in public.

She should have been wasted 38 yrs. ago and look how much money we would have saved.

You play, you pay.

Desparate times ask for desparate measures.....

[Shirley]

I don't have mercy for her.

[pam s.]

Do you think the parole board are reading these post? Do you think they care about our opinions? No...Do you think the bleeding hearts pleading for her release are being heard?

How many times has the voice of the California people spoken -both in elections and with our opinions- by a strong majority and been silenced by the bleeding hearts with no backbone or by those who only care about political correctness NOT MORAL correctness. (And all of you out there know exactly what I'm talking about!)

This monster's release will only confirm this, what I've said.
The voice of the people say make her stay -do her time-let her die in jail for her hideous deeds.

[David B]

If a collection is being taken, I would gladly contribute to any fund to keep her rotting behind bars. This person, this ugly human being, deserves no mercy whatsoever, not on this earth. She can get forgiveness from god. For now, let her rot to death. She can suffer just like she made her victims suffer and that unborn child who was murdered in the womb, just days from birth.

[Continuing In Name of Doris and Patti]

This has already been "pleaded" before with major outcries from the public to keep Atkins in prison for the remaining time of her life as testimony to the social fabric of our society that depends upon such sentencing being carried through as the 'contract' that the courts provide.
I am very pleased to read other comments targeting the lame argument of saving money in the prison system. Atkins is unable to become a productive member of society and her 'family' is simply a strange lawyer who married her to eat off her publicity, drain state funds to "defend" her remaining rights and has stated that he is writing a book (guess he can continue to make money off her horrid acts even after she draws her last breath). Atkins would continue to be a "charge of the state" and would likely cost more money to set up and maintain a private care situation in her husband's home.
Leave her in prison and provide minimal compassionate care, her involvement and continual lack of remorse far outweigh any sympathy I can summon.
C. Green @ 9:19am said it best and I fully agree with him/her.
Support the Doris Tate Foundation and Justice for Homicide Victims rather than waste any more time on the idiots who make such organizations a necessity.

[mike]

Let her die in prison. She should have been put to death 20 years ago. Deserves nothing but to complete her sentence.

[No Parole]

No mercy for baby killers!!
No mercy for baby killers!!
No mercy for baby killers!!
No mercy for baby killers!!

[Wow!]

What a lovely Christian group posting their murderous intentions. Surely we should torture her first, why give her a quickish death, let's prolong for days at a time before the coup de grace.

[Marianne]

I thought she had only six months to live last fall, according to the "evidence" presented at last fall's "compassionate" release hearing?

Her taxpayer-funded private hospital treatments must be working ... why?????

[George]

HEY we're talking California here.....the place run by all the compassionate liberals who have made it such a safe and stable, and affordable place to live....

[Timoteo]

Are we in Teheran or what?
Chop off her hands? Is that justice in Western society?
The previous comments reflect a society with the sick values little different than those Tate had 38 years ago. Or those in place in the Middle East today.
Where is your compassion? Where is your sense of forgiveness?
She committed an unspeakable crime 38 years ago.
This woman has one leg and brain cancer, with six months to live.
What more could you possibly want from her?

[Judith]

Didn't she stab poor Sharon Tate in her stomach? I say "NO mercy" for susan atkins. I agree--- she should have died in the gas chamber many years ago. Please don't release her.