The Death of Charles Manson
This post is like none other that I have done. This is not one that will rehash the crimes committed by the "Manson Family" in the late 1960's. If that is what you are looking for there is plenty to find elsewhere online ( I may even have another referring to things). But, today is significant because today is the day that Charles Manson died.... finally... as many would say.
If you are a true crime "fan" then it is difficult to believe that you do not know the crimes committed and have an opinion on those involved. You also know of course that Manson, as well as all of the followers that he was convicted with were initially sentenced to death but that was overturned a few years later when California abolished the death penalty. You also know that every few years it seems that someone seems to be up for parole.
Everyone has their own opinion as to if and when any of them should or should have been granted parole. Susan Atkins, the person basically responsible for getting the "family" caught through her bragging after being arrested on unrelated charges, was up for parole a few times and even applied for a hardship parole when she was dying of cancer. They were all denied and she died while still incarcerated. Leslie VanHouten and Patricia Krenwinkel remain incarcerated also and over the last few years there has been lots of debate as it seems the parole board has recommended their release but the Governor of California continues to deny them parole. Tex Watson, one of the few men involved and convicted in the crimes remains incarcerated but you hear little about any parole hearings he may have. There of course have been tidbits over the years about things. In fact, Watson was able not only to marry in prison but impregnate his wife through visits. It was because of this that California inmates were later denied conjugal visits.
It is the women and their time that people seem to debate the most. There are those who believe they were very, very young women (most were in their mid to late teens and early 20's when the crimes were committed) who were manipulated and brainwashed by Charles Manson to murder for them and now, after serving over forty years in prison should be able to be released. Others believe that since their victims could never get a second chance neither should they and should remain in prison until the day they die. Keep in mind that Patricia Krenwinkel was the only woman who was present during both the Tate and LaBianca murders. I state this because when Leslie VanHouten was once recommended by parole there were many who brought up that she killed Sharon Tate's unborn child. Well, as a stickler of facts I have to say that is not true. First off, Susan Atkins was the one who admittedly murdered Sharon Tate and her unborn son, but Leslie VanHouten was not even present at the scene that night. After hearing what had happened at the home and hearing that Manson wanted another crime to occurred in order to throw the police off track (which did in fact work) VanHouten did ask to go the second night but facts are facts and she was not at the scene on the first night.
And yet, with all of the debate on whether the women deserve parole or not there seemed to be little when it came to Charles Manson. Sure, there were some here and there who would argue that Manson did not murder anyone. In fact, he was only present for a few minutes at the LaBianca before leaving and instructing the others on what was to be done. This was Manson's big pull every time he was interviewed over the years. He would always argue that he had murdered no one and that everyone had free will and yet it always seemed that out the other side of his mouth he would either implicate himself or let it be known what his intentions would be if he were ever released. Few people could continue to argue for his release once Manson opened his mouth. Manson was his own worse enemy.
Now of course some could argue what difference would it have made if Manson had been remorseful, or taken responsibility. The women have done that over the years and they are still sitting in prison. I think most would agree Manson not only liked the attention he got but he also knew he had a persona he had to keep up. He was part victim (unjustly convicted according to him; he always managed to bring up that his mother was a prostitute and he had a bad childhood) and part controller. I am sure even the worse of the worse in prison either feared or idolized him and he nearly fed off of that. I did not take a psychology degree to read him every time he did an interview.
There seems to be little left to tell of the story of the two nights that many say changed the world in 1969. It appears that between all the books, movies and documentaries that have been made over the years every theory has been looked at, talked about and ran into the ground. It has always been said that Manson knew that Terry Melcher (Doris Day's son), a well known record producer that had nixed Manson's idea of becoming a recording artist, no longer lived on Cielo Dr. and that Manson knew more prominent people lived inside. While this may be in fact true, I have always believed that the murders of Sharon Tate and the others that began on August 8, 1969 was more of a "notice" to Melcher than anything. He did not want to kill Melcher because he still needed him. I truly believe that Manson had no intention of anyone ... but Melcher later.... knowing who was responsible he relished the fact that famous people were killed, on his orders (although he denied this) and became such a high profile case. I believe he liked the idea of being behind such notorious cases and to his dying breath he would claim he was not responsible to the public and I believe that once things died down he would have gone to Melcher and let him know he was behind the murder of Sharon Tate and in essence blackmail him into giving him the record deal and recognition he wanted and believed he deserved. Of course Susan Atkins running her mouth and all the drugs everyone was involved with that altered personalities and caused issues prevented him from following through with his plans.
Manson was not a stupid man no matter what anyone thought. Once he was arrested along with the others he not only had to try to come up with a defense to get out of the charges (although many believe since he had spent much of his life in prison he did not mind going back), while in the next breath still show the control he had on others and bring more "into" his fold. Do not forget that there were people on the "outside" not only still following his lead but doing what they felt directed to do to help the court case. Remember? Leslie VanHouten's attorney disappeared during the trial and his body was later found. No one has ever been charged or tried but it seemed to be more than a coincidence.
We have a joke in my home. When my husband and I were watching the television show "Smallville" everyone kept telling me how much I would grow to hate the character of Lex Luther because, in their words, he was "evil." I would always argue he was not evil but "misguided." I stuck to that assessment throughout the entire series. When discussing Manson you will not hear that I believe he was misguided. I do believe that Charles Manson was evil to the core. I am one of those who believe the women who were under his "spell" are remorseful and at some point likely deserved to possibly be paroled but to be fair I think at this point it is senseless. I do not believe the women would be able to function in the real world after over forty years in prison. I am sure they do not like being imprisoned, but I would gander to guess they would not like not being imprisoned either. Remember Red in Shawshank Redemption? He had not "pissed" or done anything without asking for permission for forty years. He did not know how not to ask. VanHouten and Krenwinkel are both almost seventy years old. No, I do not believe that communities would be in danger, but they would be a danger to themselves in my opinion.
No... today was the beginning of the end of an era. In today's world when a celebrity dies there are sometimes "joke" meme's put out on social media to create confusion. Some of that happened today when people posted pictures of singer Marilyn Manson and saying "RIP" but the sad thing is that some people posted that meme not just because they believed it (because they did) but then had to ask who Charles Manson was when they were corrected. The crimes of the Manson Family will never go away and I am sure we will continue to see past interviews given by all of the followers, especially Manson himself, but the death of Manson can begin a healing in which the crimes, while they will always be remembered as part of history, will become and remain history to move forward.
If you are a true crime "fan" then it is difficult to believe that you do not know the crimes committed and have an opinion on those involved. You also know of course that Manson, as well as all of the followers that he was convicted with were initially sentenced to death but that was overturned a few years later when California abolished the death penalty. You also know that every few years it seems that someone seems to be up for parole.
Everyone has their own opinion as to if and when any of them should or should have been granted parole. Susan Atkins, the person basically responsible for getting the "family" caught through her bragging after being arrested on unrelated charges, was up for parole a few times and even applied for a hardship parole when she was dying of cancer. They were all denied and she died while still incarcerated. Leslie VanHouten and Patricia Krenwinkel remain incarcerated also and over the last few years there has been lots of debate as it seems the parole board has recommended their release but the Governor of California continues to deny them parole. Tex Watson, one of the few men involved and convicted in the crimes remains incarcerated but you hear little about any parole hearings he may have. There of course have been tidbits over the years about things. In fact, Watson was able not only to marry in prison but impregnate his wife through visits. It was because of this that California inmates were later denied conjugal visits.
It is the women and their time that people seem to debate the most. There are those who believe they were very, very young women (most were in their mid to late teens and early 20's when the crimes were committed) who were manipulated and brainwashed by Charles Manson to murder for them and now, after serving over forty years in prison should be able to be released. Others believe that since their victims could never get a second chance neither should they and should remain in prison until the day they die. Keep in mind that Patricia Krenwinkel was the only woman who was present during both the Tate and LaBianca murders. I state this because when Leslie VanHouten was once recommended by parole there were many who brought up that she killed Sharon Tate's unborn child. Well, as a stickler of facts I have to say that is not true. First off, Susan Atkins was the one who admittedly murdered Sharon Tate and her unborn son, but Leslie VanHouten was not even present at the scene that night. After hearing what had happened at the home and hearing that Manson wanted another crime to occurred in order to throw the police off track (which did in fact work) VanHouten did ask to go the second night but facts are facts and she was not at the scene on the first night.
And yet, with all of the debate on whether the women deserve parole or not there seemed to be little when it came to Charles Manson. Sure, there were some here and there who would argue that Manson did not murder anyone. In fact, he was only present for a few minutes at the LaBianca before leaving and instructing the others on what was to be done. This was Manson's big pull every time he was interviewed over the years. He would always argue that he had murdered no one and that everyone had free will and yet it always seemed that out the other side of his mouth he would either implicate himself or let it be known what his intentions would be if he were ever released. Few people could continue to argue for his release once Manson opened his mouth. Manson was his own worse enemy.
Now of course some could argue what difference would it have made if Manson had been remorseful, or taken responsibility. The women have done that over the years and they are still sitting in prison. I think most would agree Manson not only liked the attention he got but he also knew he had a persona he had to keep up. He was part victim (unjustly convicted according to him; he always managed to bring up that his mother was a prostitute and he had a bad childhood) and part controller. I am sure even the worse of the worse in prison either feared or idolized him and he nearly fed off of that. I did not take a psychology degree to read him every time he did an interview.
There seems to be little left to tell of the story of the two nights that many say changed the world in 1969. It appears that between all the books, movies and documentaries that have been made over the years every theory has been looked at, talked about and ran into the ground. It has always been said that Manson knew that Terry Melcher (Doris Day's son), a well known record producer that had nixed Manson's idea of becoming a recording artist, no longer lived on Cielo Dr. and that Manson knew more prominent people lived inside. While this may be in fact true, I have always believed that the murders of Sharon Tate and the others that began on August 8, 1969 was more of a "notice" to Melcher than anything. He did not want to kill Melcher because he still needed him. I truly believe that Manson had no intention of anyone ... but Melcher later.... knowing who was responsible he relished the fact that famous people were killed, on his orders (although he denied this) and became such a high profile case. I believe he liked the idea of being behind such notorious cases and to his dying breath he would claim he was not responsible to the public and I believe that once things died down he would have gone to Melcher and let him know he was behind the murder of Sharon Tate and in essence blackmail him into giving him the record deal and recognition he wanted and believed he deserved. Of course Susan Atkins running her mouth and all the drugs everyone was involved with that altered personalities and caused issues prevented him from following through with his plans.
Manson was not a stupid man no matter what anyone thought. Once he was arrested along with the others he not only had to try to come up with a defense to get out of the charges (although many believe since he had spent much of his life in prison he did not mind going back), while in the next breath still show the control he had on others and bring more "into" his fold. Do not forget that there were people on the "outside" not only still following his lead but doing what they felt directed to do to help the court case. Remember? Leslie VanHouten's attorney disappeared during the trial and his body was later found. No one has ever been charged or tried but it seemed to be more than a coincidence.
We have a joke in my home. When my husband and I were watching the television show "Smallville" everyone kept telling me how much I would grow to hate the character of Lex Luther because, in their words, he was "evil." I would always argue he was not evil but "misguided." I stuck to that assessment throughout the entire series. When discussing Manson you will not hear that I believe he was misguided. I do believe that Charles Manson was evil to the core. I am one of those who believe the women who were under his "spell" are remorseful and at some point likely deserved to possibly be paroled but to be fair I think at this point it is senseless. I do not believe the women would be able to function in the real world after over forty years in prison. I am sure they do not like being imprisoned, but I would gander to guess they would not like not being imprisoned either. Remember Red in Shawshank Redemption? He had not "pissed" or done anything without asking for permission for forty years. He did not know how not to ask. VanHouten and Krenwinkel are both almost seventy years old. No, I do not believe that communities would be in danger, but they would be a danger to themselves in my opinion.
No... today was the beginning of the end of an era. In today's world when a celebrity dies there are sometimes "joke" meme's put out on social media to create confusion. Some of that happened today when people posted pictures of singer Marilyn Manson and saying "RIP" but the sad thing is that some people posted that meme not just because they believed it (because they did) but then had to ask who Charles Manson was when they were corrected. The crimes of the Manson Family will never go away and I am sure we will continue to see past interviews given by all of the followers, especially Manson himself, but the death of Manson can begin a healing in which the crimes, while they will always be remembered as part of history, will become and remain history to move forward.
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