Politics | 06/19/2008 12:45 pm

Manson Murderess Begs for Mercy

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Susan Atkins in 1969 © AP

In August 1969 she slit the throat of a pregnant woman begging for mercy. Today, she’s hoping she has better luck when asking for the same from the government.

A former member of the Manson family, Susan Atkins, 60, has requested a "compassionate release" from prison on the grounds that she is terminally ill and has less than six months to live, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton told wowOwow.

The Golden State’s longest-serving female inmate, Atkins was convicted in 1969 for the murders of actress Sharon Tate (who was eight months pregnant) and four others. Perhaps the most gripping detail from the case file was that, before leaving the crime scene, Atkins wrote "PIG" in blood on Tate’s front door.

Atkins received the death sentence, which later was commuted to life in prison at the California Institution for Women in Corona, CA, where she remained until she was hospitalized in March. She’s listed in serious condition and, while Thornton declined to comment on her illness, it’s been reported that she has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

According to Thornton, the prison did an evaluation of Atkins’s release request and found that she met the two necessary criteria — she is terminally ill with an incurable condition that would cause death in six months AND she has a supportive family with the means to care of her – to be recommended for review by the corrections department. If the corrections department makes a positive recommendation, the decision then goes to the sentencing court, which will do one of three things: deny the request, recall the original sentence and re-sentence to a lower term (which could result in a full discharge) or recall the original sentence and place her under parole supervision.

The Los Angeles Times’s op-ed says that Atkins should not be granted the release. What are your thoughts on this?

Click here to vote: Are you in favor of the death penalty in the United States?

Read more about: Charles Manson, Law, News, Susan Atkins, Terry Thornton

251 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Huffy, Not only is STFU hateful but it is classless. You and I could be twins after the STFU remarks. I bet you just hate that! At least I know who and what I am. You pretend to be a woman great taste, education and upbringing. How proud would your mother be to hear you say STFU. Everything you WANTED us to see in you is now meaningless. CONGRATS!

By LizaD08beta on 06/24/2008 5:26 pm

Liza D—What is hateful if Mugsy stating that people who don’t support mercy and compassion for the mass murderer lack principle and that the mass murderer should be kept in prison to protect them against said wOw posters. This is vile beyond words. Then she brings her typical Buffalo Wings Troop in here {what, did you people get tried of discussing you weight/smoking addictions?} : Deni, Lily, you and you to SUPPORT HER. This kind of Mugsy & CO classless and hateful tactic has been used to run off JackieOh, Renata, Taylor, Lorriane (she returned thank god one of the smartest people on this site) and me…… Mugsy’s low tactics as trying to conflate her support of a mass murderer as ‘principled’….and my support for the courts, parole board, victim’s family, and justice for the victim’s as being a danger to the mass murderer is hateful and classless beyond belief. As is her ROTFLMAO Gummy Bears Troop’s ‘group think’ sick dynamics. Running to Mugsy’s support as a group is as cowardly as is her support that vile mass murderer. What is meanlingless, crass, crude, and disgusting is Liza D, Lily, Deni et al running over here to bash me because I stand up to that sanctimonious drivel of Mugsy’s……and none of you have actually respected the families whose precious innocent loved ones were butchered to death and in their graves WAY TOO YOUNG and have endured 17 parole hearings just for Susan Atkins not to mention all of the others. Mugsy’s troop is what is classless and hateful.

By GetSporty on 06/25/2008 1:08 pm

Fluffy In The City, I have mentioned to several persons that I feel sad for you. In the evenings I light a few candles and last night I light one for you. Something is terribly wrong when a person stays on this site for as long as you do. Fluffy, you are so smart and you are an excellent writer. It takes away from your main message when you go on and on like a crazy person. Can I suggest seeing a therapist? No, I am being smarmy or anything like that. I am worried about you. And for the record my first husband was murdered back in the 80’s. He was taking the daily receipts/cash to the bank at the end of his shift. James was stabbed 36 times. Let us count that up together: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36. James was a college graduate working on his BA in accounting. We had our first baby his name is Jeremy a few months earlier that year. After being stabbed James crawled to his car and bled to death on the street. Jeremy and I (I was only 22) buried James. I dropped out of college and took odd jobs to care for son without going on state aid. This event forever changed our destinies. I never did go back to school and have suffered a great many socio and economical difficulties ever since. I tell this story because I want you to understand that I understand all too well what the victims family has gone through and will continue to go through until the end of their days on the planet. There was trial. One of them had been out on bond for the rape of a 71 year old woman. I was angry. I wanted vengeance. However, not even in my darkest hour did want and “eye for and eye”. If I believed in the death penalty then that would make me a murderer too. I read on an earlier post that one of your friends said something to the effect that “they should be lined up on a wall and shot” . That goes against all of humanity. It might surprise you to know that I don’t think she should be “released” but I do feel she should be able to leave the prison under strict supervision. That seems the humane thing to do. As many have said on this thread she will soon find out if there is any other penance yet to be paid. Humanity, can we think about that word for just moment. HUMANITY: 1: the quality or state of being humane HUMANE: 1: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals Fluffy, I think of you and send you my prayers and positive energies very often. Try to lighten up maybe plan a weekend activity! :)

By LizaD08beta on 06/25/2008 3:46 pm

Liza D—-I’m sorry to hear about your husband. The remainder of you remarks are presumptuous. As you’ve previously point “My love and support are with Mugsy” and that is the point of your highly ridiculous remarks. I am not interested in the opinions of people who smoke a pack of cigarettes a night as you profess to do, who uses phrases like ‘kewl’ and who belongs to the Mugsy victims club: ie, professing to be depressed, broke, and looking for a job working at home—-yet is here commenting on me—-someone you do not know. When you have accomplished all that I have, I’ll be interested in your opinion. So if you’d like to share it…back up to your twenties, work like a monk on speed because that’s what it will require to catch up. Now run along the your Church of Cookie-Dough, with the sanctimonious ladies who all smoke, complain about money and their weight, and what you don’t have and your shadow pop psychology etc, etc ad nauseum, mixed in with the non-stop ROTFLMAO and doobies, et al and understand that their are very different consciousness’ and I wouldn’t have yours for anything. For you to give advice to me is a joke. Save it for your emails with Mugsy and Deni et al. You all remind of the dumpy ladies who sit together in lunch rooms over massive plates of chow, rushing to eat so they can get down on the street for a smoke, and who collectively sneer and comment when one of the execs enter in a trim, chic suit for her cup of tea. There’s a reason that is a stock image on TV. Victims of a feather flock together. ” I think of you and send you my prayers and positive energies very often.”——DON’T. Save it for people who want and need it…..

By GetSporty on 06/25/2008 4:26 pm

Oh, and Liza—-You have 486 comments to my 180 something…I forget. Since you state you’d like a job at home you could be on Craigslist answering ads for paid bloggers, ie taking action instead of posting that you are depressed, concerned about going into a shelter, and advising a woman who you don’t know, and with a great life in San Francisco. Mugsy’s Victim’s Unite Club can help you set up a blog if you need it, and a paypal, and then it’s a very simple matter to answer the adds on Craigslist….you can go all over the US and apply for ones that need paid bloggers. So your choices seem to be 1) Whine about your situation, 2) post all sorts of irrelevant stuff along with your “kewl” ROTFLMAO Mugsy Troop, 3) answer the actual question of this thread, 4) take actual action to improve your situation.

By GetSporty on 06/25/2008 4:41 pm

Well, I will still worry for you. And I will still light a candle for you.

By LizaD08beta on 06/25/2008 5:00 pm

Please stop being ridiculous. Light a candle for yourself or anyone else, not for me.

By GetSporty on 06/26/2008 7:50 am

I have never heard of a paid blogger. I like the idea. About my personal troubles. I feel that this site is a place for friends to have lively discussion on many different topics. Many times a topic/thread can bring out all sorts of different issues we keep bubbling under. I whine, well sure, it hurts. And I did take action about my sitchway! I know you want the best for me. Oh, about the laughing well, Fluffy, sometimes people laugh …. it is ok to laugh …. laughing like crying is tied to emotion …. laughing makes me feel good. Nothing wrong with enjoying a good chuckle. Gang banging, drug user; no, thats not me. Ok, I smoke cigarettes …. I am human and I am hopelessly flawed. I am giving no one advice and no one is advising me. My friends and I talk about options and goals …. I make my current decisions based on research and well rounded thinking. Well, like I said earlier on this thread. I will still worry for you and light a candle for you!

By LizaD08beta on 06/25/2008 5:27 pm

Liza- Lose disempowering language like ‘worry’ hmmm. Here’s something proactive for you to do…. send a letter on behalf of the Tate family in opposition to Susan Atkins release: Here is the latest information from the Tate Legacy: —————- MPORTANT NEW ADDRESS TO SEND LETTERS OPPOSING COMPASSIONATE RELEASE FOR SUSAN ATKINS If you have not sent your letter opposing compassionate release for Susan Atkins please send them to the address below: Exec. Officer Martin Hoshino Board of Parole Hearings P O Box 4036 Sacramento CA 95814 RE: Susan Denise Atkins CDC # W-08304 Compassionate Release Consideration If you have already sent your letter to the address we previously gave, we apologize for the mix-up and ask that you resend it if you can to the address above. It’s important that the board recieve your letter as soon as possible. They will consider Ms. Atkins case in just over two weeks. If you send it now it should get there in time for the board to consider. Your letter must conain Ms. Atkins’ full name and CDC # and be signed by you. We appreciate your time and your support in this matter Tate Family Legacy

By GetSporty on 06/26/2008 8:23 am

I do not believe I came to this thread and said anything negative at all to you, Suzanne.

By DeniG on 06/25/2008 7:02 pm

“I do not believe I came to this thread and said anything negative at all to you, Suzanne.” That is precisely what the Mugsy ROTFLMAO Troop has done…all here bashing me, and NONE responding to the thread question, something rather of weight. And all quite self-congratulatory about how noble you are. Very humorous. Anyone actually plan on answering the thread question?? Of course not. Would have to stop defending Mugsy by bashing me and answer the question that might put you uncomfortably at odds with her. Not all that many people are keen to jump on board defending a mass murderer.

By GetSporty on 06/26/2008 7:42 am

“Everything you WANTED us to see in you is now meaningless.” Liza D try not to be so absurd to imagine anyone wants the ROTFLMAO dooobie crowd’s good housekeeping sign of approval, except yourselves. Who cares?? I’m off to France for the summer….where are you going? Get a clue, OK?

By GetSporty on 06/25/2008 5:11 pm

Suzanne, this last post of yours is beyond arrogant- “I’m off to France for the summer - where are you going?” . This sentence alone qualifies you for the “I don’t need your approval” because “I’m so much better than you” mind set. Pure, unadulterated claptrap. I don’t care what points you think you are trying to convey, the ONLY one that is SCREAMING loud and clear is what a conceited, pompous, haughty, contemptuous, insolent, self satisfied excuse for a human being you are. Tu me fais chier. Get a clue, you say? My Dick Tracy Secret Investigator Watch is beeping like mad right now. What is it saying? Please. S’il Vous Plaît. Go to France. Stay there. And when you don’t need to ridicule others in order to elevate your own standing, feel free to return. I won’t hold my breath.

By PegOmyheart on 06/25/2008 11:22 pm

Peg O My Heart—Really? My post was arrogant? I thought it was pretty restrained compared to the ridiculous post I was responding to.

By GetSporty on 06/26/2008 7:33 am

Make that plural ridiculous posts. Still waiting for the pathetic ROTFLMAO Mugsy Troop to actually answer the thread question.

By GetSporty on 06/26/2008 7:53 am