No tears here for her death and she died in jail, where she belonged. Why did she think she should have been let out to die? No mercy from me or obviously the parole board either.

Susan Atkins lived 40 years longer than her victim…being fed and clothed and taken care of when she was ill. She wasn’t given the death penality…which I find amazing.

“You really can’t right a wrong when it involves murder.”
i’m not convinced that this is an absolute. and i’m not trying in the least to excuse murder. but, what if someone guilty of a murder was also guilty of pulling one or more lives from the jaws of death? is there no redemption?

I believe there is redemption but nothing atones for the death of Sharon and her unborn child. Saving lives is surely admirable, but you wouldn’t give such a person a pass on taking innocent life in the future. Regarding the act of contrition, that depends on how she served her time. Being a model prisoner would go a long way towards contrition, Charlie Manson not being a prime example. Dave Berkowitz helped council other inmates, while the co-founder of the crips (aka ‘Tooky’) executed in California a few years ago wrote childrens’ books and influenced truces in gang violence between the Crips & Bloods.

I once thought Susan Atkins was a soul-less person too until I did some of my own research. Please check out the website her husband did for her. If one is to claim themselves as a real Christian they should find compassion in their hearts after reading her website. I was very impressed by the volunteerism and good works she accomplished in prison, her art and her openness to tell her side of the story and dispel the myth of Helter Skelter. The real motive as Susan reveals was Manson’s desire to cover up a botched drug deal in which he thought he killed a Black Panther, consequently trying to black mail members of his ‘Family’, drugging, abusing and manipulating them to do so.
Susan was a victim of a family who abandoned her, her vulnerability as a single mother and poor young woman was entrenched upon by the manipulative and anti social mind of Charles Manson. I have found compassion for this woman and do not overlook the atrocity of the crimes that would committed but I do believe that Charles Tex Watson was the one who murdered Sharon Tate and her baby. Please read the Myth of Helter Skelter found on her website, everyone should and know her accomplishments and retribution. Forgiveness is a fundamental tenant in Christianity, no one can make up for the lives lost but they can at least see for themselves that Susan Atkins was not a soul-less person, not at all.

slightly of topic: michele, why have you not yet posted about the revelation of the conservative poll on the mostly conservative-populated facebook.com that asked if obama should be assassinated?

anony,
I don’t know why Michele has not posted on that. But since you brought it up, I find it appalling that it was done and the Secret Service is rightly looking into it. I suspect it was just some stupid person fooling around, but that is no joking matter.

Pagansister – Susan Atkins was given the death penalty – they all were. However, in 1972 the death penalty was abolished in the State of California and her sentence was changed from death to life imprisonment.
My personal belief is that Atkins and the rest of the conspiritors/killers received far more than they deserved. Had they been executed in the early 70s, justice would have been served and this horrible event would have faded into obscurity. Unfortunately that has not happened and here we are, 40 years later, still re-living it, and every time there is a parole hearing for one of the killers, it brings it back fresh for those who lost loved ones clear back in 1969.
My opinion, but we’ll be better off when they are dead and gone, just like Susan Atkins.

“I suspect it was just some stupid person fooling around”
pouty, i hope that you’re correct.

I am Susan Atkin’s age and remember quite vividly those horrible murders 40 years ago. I have read a few books on the murders and there is no reconciling the savageness of those murders with any of the participants even contemplating the possibility of parole. It would have been a mockery of justice to have allowed Susan Atkins to be paroled at any time.
However, she died a born again child of God and she now resides with Him in the heavenly places. And in spite of her life long imprisonment God blessed her in many ways. She had a loving and devoted husband, good health care, a chance to explore hobbies and develope her artistic talents. She was able to grow as a person and experience LIFE. Her death was PEACEFUL, with her husband, family and friends by her side, pain free and comforted, something denied the victims of those murders years ago.
I do not understand why she didn’t write her essay “The Myth of Helter Skelter”, found on her web site, decades ago. I am dumbfounded that she kept silent about what really went down in those weeks prior to the murders. Perhaps more people would have shown her more compassion over the years. My perception of her in the many parole hearing videos was of a disconnected unremorseful individual whose attempts at apologizing came off very shallow and insincere…
My condolances to James Whitehouse on the death of his wife. There can be no relief to the victim’s families in her death except that justice was carried out as far as the law would allow

May she rot in hell

Michele – “You really can’t right a wrong when it involves murder. ”
According to the Bible, Michele’s statement is not correct.
Acts 8
1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Acts 2
The Lord’s Grace to Paul
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Michele – “You really can’t right a wrong when it involves murder. ”
No one knows except God knows whether Susan Atkins went to heaven, but we know from the Bible that God forgives murderers and we are called to do the same.
Another murderer called to do God’s work:
Exodus 2
Moses Flees to Midian
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
Exodus 3
Moses and the Burning Bush

She was the second most hirsute Manson gal after La Krenwinkel. She defecated in a stairwell at the apartment building of the guy they didn’t kill, after the LaBianca snuffs.
Then, in the diesel dyke big house, she found religion. If there were a Jesus or something like that, I’m sure even he would have puked.
All in all, what a class act!

Susan was an unfortunate girl to stary with who was isolated, manipulated and brain washed by a sociopath. She had va great transformation while in prison. See Thw Myth Of Helter Skelter On her site. Oh what a hard job the universe gives some of us so the rest can grow thriough the analyization process.

What Susan did was very nasty. But now she’s paid her dues, she did her time, and now she’s gone. No need to disrespect the dead.

God will forgive her but on this earth render unto ceaser that which is ceasers

forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
judge not lest ye be judged.
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
My reflections during Susan’s transition.

whitehouse said that no one on earth worked harder than susan to right an unrightable wrong I have a hard time understanding that since the only way she could pay was by her time and the time she paid was forced on her. she even tried for an early release so she didn’t willingly pay for her crime.

She killed a woman and her unborn baby – she died whilst serving a LIFE sentence…. I do not see where there is any discussion. I hope she received as much psychiatric treatment as possible and she didn’t suffer during her illness (whilst receiving the FREE healthcare right wingers are so desperate to deny innocent law abiding poor Americans and their children.
Interesting how pro life only extends to desperate women unable to care for or support a baby and have an abortion. Yet here we have people declaring that they love and forgive a brutal murderer who showed an innocent mother to be no mercy and terrorized her before brutally murdering her, then showed no remorse! It’s not up to me or you to forgive her or not forgive her anyway, she didn’t do these abominable things to me or my family, you or yours. Let’s hope none of us are in the position where we have to actually forgive someone like that. It’s such a stupid thing to argue for unless you actually know what you are talking about and have experience of it.

Hmmmmmm…. are all of you also in support of freeing the Lybian bomber as the Scottish did recently? I understand many Christians believed he should rot in hell for what he did, despite being in the identical position of Sharon Tate’s killer! (Except he’s Muslim of course!!) Apparently, the Scottish level of compassion in the same instance has caused problems between the USA and just about the only ally we really have in the world!

Susan Atkins should have stopped breathing decades ago, for what she did to Sharon. I would have wrote the word “PIG” on Atkins forehead before she drew her last breath.

RE: Interesting how pro life only extends to desperate women unable to care for or support a baby and have an abortion. Yet here we have people declaring that they love and forgive a brutal murderer who showed an innocent mother to be no mercy and terrorized her before brutally murdering her….
My guess is that it is not pro-lifers calling for the mercy for the murderer….

RE: are all of you also in support of freeing the Lybian bomber as the Scottish did recently?
NO!!

RE: …right wingers are so desperate to deny innocent law abiding poor Americans and their children
There is NO SUCH THING as free health care. Someone must pay for it, unless health care workers are to be expected to work for free. In which case it still isn’t free to those healhcare workers. And if OTHERS are expected to pay for health care of anyone else but themselves and their own families then THEY are being asked to work for free. SO the real debate is over who is being asked to pay and how much and why and who is being asked to work for free and how much and why.

Seriously it really upset me that she wasnt allowed to die outside of prison. She did work hard to right a wrong and she tried for over 20 years. Come on. Murder can’t be taken back but a person can be forgiven. For all the judgmental people that think she deserves to rot in hell…I believe she went to Heaven. R.I.P. Susan.

Skittles,
Honestly would you feel the same way if it had been a member of your family. I am sure neither of us would. Wish her to hell…no I don’t wish that on anybody but stay in prison absolutely. If you let her out you send the wrong message.

Susan Atkins died where she should have – in prison where she belonged. Had she showed any mercy on Sharon Tate, perhaps mercy would have been shown on here. Did Susan Atkins deserve mercy? No! She cold-bloodedly murdered a woman who begged for her life and the life of her baby. She chose to take all of the lives that she took, and now she can answer to her maker.

Saxaphone
You have a good point with your question “Honestly would you feel the same way if it had been a member of your family”. But let me ask you a question: Would you still feel that she should not have been paroled if Susan was your mother, sister, or daughter?

She’s square with the house now, let it go.

People make conscious decisions to do or not to do something. Most individuals have that ability. Long before the Manson killings Atkins chose a seedier and unethical way of life. She was a stripper, part of an armed robbery and involved with Satanism in the mid 1960′s. No one forced her to behave this way and as a result she had to live with the consequences.
I saw no remorse out of her or any of the other Manson killers. Look at Atkins website. It presents her as some kind of pinup model. How disgraceful. Even worse, Tex Watson was allowed to family five kids, get married and earn a degree as a minister. These killers are delusional if they think any one would ever buy into this.
You know what I think? I think the Manson killers should have been put to death in the first place. California overturning the death penalty for these clowns was a mistake. Taking the life of another and then be allowed to remain alive get married and created your own family. None of this makes any sense on any level. These liberal legislators need to pull their heads out of their a$$e$, but they never will because it always involves some financial reward for them.