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June
26.
BRUCE DAVIS UP FOR PAROLE ON SEPTEMBER
09
Board
of Parole Hearings –27th
attempt at parole
Bruce McGregor Davis, inmate number
B41079 is scheduled for his 27th parole consideration hearing on
September 9, 2009 at the California
Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo where he has been
incarcerated since the mid 1970’s when he was transferred from Folsom
State Prison. The hearing is scheduled to take place in the B unit at 03:30. PM. California time. Davis will attend his
hearing along with his attorney Michael Beckham who has represented him
since 2004.
There will be strong opposition to his
release from special interest groups representing families of crime victims
as well as Debra Tate who will undoubtedly lobby for people to write to the
parole board opposing his release. The Los Angeles DA’s office will
send Patrick Sequeira to represent their opposition.Davis has been a model
prisoner for over 30 years and has appeared before the board once a year
since the late 1980’s. This time however he might receive a harsh 3-5
year denial because of the new Pro. 9 that affected the outcome at the
latest hearing for Bobby Beausoleil last December where he received a 5
year denial. Proposition 9, allows the parole board to deny lifers
convicted of murder for up to 5 years or more if in the judgment of the
panel they pose an unreasonable risk to the community.
Bruce Davis was convicted in 1972 for the
murders of Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shae. Davis was not subjected
to the death penalty because it had already been made unconstitutional and
abolished in the state of California. Davis was the last
Manson family member to be convicted of murder. He received two concurrent
life sentences but because of the law at the time his sentence was 7 years
to life with the possibility of parole. Davis is the only
Manson killer who has actually received several votes for release and twice
the panel was split in its decision although his parole was eventually
denied. There is a possibility that CBS 12 in San Luis Obispo will send a TV
crew because of the 40th anniversary of the Manson murders. They
have video taped his hearings many times in the past. We have some of his
hearings available for purchase HERE!
EXTENSIVE ARTICLE IN LA MAGAZINE ON THE
MANSON MURDERS
LA
Magazine–Share, Bugliosi, Hoyt and others
interviewed
LA Magazine just published in their latest
magazine an extensive article on the Manson case titled “40 Years of
Charles Manson” where many Manson family members are interviewed
along with Vincent Bugliosi, Catherine Share, Barbara Hoyt, ranch hand Juan
Flynn, William Garretson, actor Warren Beatty, Martin Ransahoff, Anthony
DiMaria, Linda Kasabian’s attorney Gary Fleischman, police detectives
Mike McGann, Bill Gleason, Danny Galindo, James Pursell and ex call girl, CIW
inmate turned Hawaiian art dealer Virginia Graham who was Susan Atkins cell
mate in 1969 and others. The article is commemorating the 40th
anniversary of the case and it is very well done and lots of nice pictures.
I had not seen the magazine itself but Col. Scott At THE Official Tate
LaBianca Murder Blog provided us with scans of the article. I have since
obtained a copy and scanned it for you all to read. You can expect many
other articles and TV shows of this nature in the next two months.
This article is extremely well done and
the reporters did an excellent job in locating the various people
interviewed. The best thing about this article is that they were not even
interested in speaking with Debra Tate. She has lost so much credibility in
recent months that the media are vary and getting tired of her act. The
producers of LMNO Productions who produced Manson’s Missing Victims
are in the process of doing another show for the Discovery Networks and I
will keep you informed as things progress. They are looking to interview
more Manson family members than just share and Hoyt and I have been trying
to assist them. More on that later.
NEW MANSON BOOK PUBLISHED EXPLORING THE
PUGH/DAVIS LINK
Metro.Co.UK
–Charles Manson:
Coming Down Fast By Simon Wells
A new biography has been published in the
Uk with some new information
about the Joel Pugh/Manson/Sandra Good and Bruce Davis link. This is the
same author that wrote the article in the UK about the same
subject. The book is titled “Charles Manson: Coming Down fast”
and is written by Simon Wells who is a well known pop and film journalist
in the UK. The book is
published by Hudder and Stoughton and sells for
12.99 UK Pounds. This is reportedly Mr. Wells first autobiography and it
has received mixed reviews. One site only rates it with two stars out of
five. The book is available through amazon.
PAROLE HEARING FOR SUSAN ATKINS SET FOR
SEPTEMBER 6
AP -Whitehouse told CNN his wife will attend,
even on a gurney
The California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation announced Thursday Atkins has another parole hearing
Sept. 2. and the incredible reason the gave was that there weren’t
any parole board members avaialable, even though her hearing had been on
the calendar for almost 6 months. She has already been turned down for
"compassionate release."
It's been more than a year since prison
doctors gave Atkins only a few months to live. She lost a bid for
compassionate release from prison last July. Now, her parole hearing,
initially scheduled for last week, has been delayed three months because
parole board members were unavailable."I don't know if she's going to
make it through that long," said her husband, James W. Whitehouse.
"She is deteriorating."
Whitehouse said his wife has undergone surgery to remove a brain tumor, had
a leg amputated, is paralyzed over most of her body, can't feed herself and
has lost most of her ability to speak. Still, Whitehouse said, Atkins plans
to attend the hearing, even if she is on a gurney.
Deputy district attorney Patrick Sequeira
said he planned to attend the hearing and argue that "the enormity and
the severity of the crimes" weighs against granting her parole.
Debra Tate with her usual posse will also
attend the hearing although she told AP’s Linda Deutsch that she
hopes Atkins will be dead by then. "They all should live out their
natural years in institutions," said Debra Tate, the younger sister of
the slain actress. If they are released, she said, "I can't trust that
they won't inspire other individuals to do similar acts." What a stupid remark.
It's been more than a year since prison
doctors gave Atkins only a few months to live. She lost a bid for
compassionate release from prison last July. Now, her parole hearing,
initially scheduled for last week, has been delayed three months because
parole board members were unavailable.
Although many life-term prisoners have
come and gone from behind bars while Atkins was incarcerated, none of the
Manson killers has been paroled. Krenwinkle and Van Houten remain at the
California Institution for Women at Frontera. Every few years they appear
before parole boards and ask for release. Manson, now 74, has ceased to
request parole.
ANOTHER MANSON FILM IN THE WORKS –
BUT NO OLIVER STONE
Dread
Central – Bugliosi joins in
on the project Taming The Beast
We've heard from a couple of reliable
sources that last week's rumoured collaboration between Oliver Stone and
Vincent Bugliosi for a big-screen reboot of Helter Skelter was just that --
a rumour. But apparently Bugliosi's involvement with Charlie Manson is far
from over as he IS attached to the upcoming Taming the Beast as an
Executive Creative Consultant.
Everyone is probably familiar with the
novel Taming the Beast: Charles Manson's Life Behind Bars, which was
co-written by Edward George, who was Charles Manson's prison counsellor for
eight years during the late 1970's/early 1980's, and Dary Matera, an author
and newspaper columnist who specializes in real-life casebooks. Producer
Thurane Aung Khin adapted the screenplay from the book and has created a
Taming the Beast MySpace page, according to which Jeremy Davies of
"Lost" was at one time approached to portray Manson.
Maverick Entertainment provided LOI for
distribution and they received LOI from Film Capital for financing. Empire
Film Group provided LOI for distribution; also provided a Deal Memo. Philip
Seymour Hoffman, Jeremy Davies, Lindsay Lohan and Anna Faris, among others,
have been approached to participate in Taming The Beast. Todd Mathus is on
board as Producer and Helen McCready is handling the Casting. The third
draft of the screenplay completed in April last year by Thurane Aung Khin.
We'll have more on the project as things
progress.
Board
of Parole Hearings – No new date has
been set
The parole hearing scheduled to take
place tomorrow at the Central Women’s Facility at Chowchilla, CA where Atkins is
currently incarcerated in the medical unit, has been postponed for reasons
not known at this time. Susan Denise Atkins-Whitehouse was scheduled for
her 13th subsequent parole consideration hearing on May 28. at 01:30 PM. She was expected to appear in person in
a wheelchair. I was told. But her medical problems must have played a role
in this. We will just have to wait and see if they set another date soon or
what. If anyone has any info please let us know.
OLIVER STONE TO RE-DO HELTER SKELTER
ACCORDING TO VARIETY
Variety –Is
reportedly in talks with Vincent Bugliosi
Helter Skelter is going to be made into a
movie for the third time. But this time by Oliver Stone who wants to adapt
it to the big screen. Well, at least that’s what Variety gossip
columnist Liz Smith is writing in her column. Several other websites and
news outlets have picked up on the story but my source tells me it is not
true. Stone had been wanting to do a Manson project for years but that
ended with Natural Born Killers. That would certainly be a great choice of
a director and I am sure Stone could do something interesting with it.
Although some claim he has past his prime.
Anyway,
here is what Liz Smith wrote:
AUGUST marks the grim 40th anniversary of
the murder of actress Sharon Tate, and four others at the hands of Manson
Family cult members. This terrible event closed the 1960's in a full circle
-- a decade that had begun with such promise. It ended in assassinations,
riots, upheaval and finally mass murder in Hollywood. So far nobody
has had the bad taste to make a feature movie about the Manson slayings.
Television offered up two films on the killings -- one back in 1970s, and
another in 2004. But Oliver Stone, who goes where others won't, is said to
be in talks with Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecuting attorney on the Manson
case, to put the latter's book, "Helter Skelter" onto the
bigscreen. If nothing else, it might be fascinating to see Stone turn the
Manson saga into a convoluted conspiracy plot –
SUSPICIOUS FIRE GUTS BARKER RANCH:
SUSPECTED ARSON
– "Basically, it's a gutted
building” Very sad news
(AP)- Barker Ranch, an
abandoned desert cabin that was Charles Manson's last hideout following his
notorious cult murders, was gutted by fire, a park spokesman said Thursday.
The isolated cabin was discovered burned on Tuesday, Terry Baldino said.
"We don't know the cause. We don't know if it was an accident or on
purpose," he said. The cabin was last seen intact last Friday and may
have burned over the weekend, he said.
The ranch, which included a main building
and a guesthouse, was built of wood, stone and cement. The fire burned most
of the wood and damaged the tin roof. Stone walls were standing but must be
inspected to determine whether they are safe, Baldino said.
"Basically, it's a gutted building," he said. The cabin is in a
remote area of the park and used by backcountry campers. It had a stove and
a fireplace, but there was no water source in the area. If the fire was
inadvertently set, there was no water available to
put it out.
“The thing that is really
sad,” Baldino said, “is that a month ago
we had a restoration crew out to
stabilize the place. We were afraid the wood lattice and tin roof would
come off. We replaced wood timbers in the sagging roof and cleaned up the
interior and the grounds. It was actually in fairly good shape when we
finished.”The simple cabin was built in the 1930s by a retired
Los Angeles Police Department officer, who, with his wife, had staked a
gold claim. The Barker family then bought the house and worked the claim.
In the late 1960s, the Manson gang roamed
the barren Death Valley landscape in dune buggies and prepared
for "Helter Skelter," a race war Manson was trying to spark. The
phrase was taken from a Beatles song, which Manson believed was encoded
with predictions that the conflict would destroy modern civilization.
Manson and his followers planned to survive by living in a tunnel, then
emerge as leaders of some new world order.
Manson eventually was arrested in the
cabin, hiding in one of the cupboards, after a 1969 murder spree in Southern
California that included the killing of actress Sharon Tate,
three friends and a teenager at the pregnant actress' BenedictCanyon home, and the
slaying of a couple in Los Feliz.
The ranch was built in the 1930s by a
retired Los Angeles
policeman-turned-gold miner, Baldino said. It is located in a rocky canyon
in the Panamint Range and can only be reached by a
three- to four-hour drive up rugged roads.
It is still visited by off-road
enthusiasts but is not listed as a major Death Valley tourist
attraction, Baldino said.
Manson and his followers hid at the cabin
after killing actress Sharon Tate and seven others in the summer of 1969.
He was arrested there that fall and is serving a life sentence. For years,
rumors swirled that other Manson family victims might be buried on the
property. However, investigators using high-tech forensic gear found
nothing when they dug at the ranch last May.
A restoration crew went to the ranch
about a month ago to clean it and make repairs, Baldino said. Investigators
planned to examine the building to determine the cause of the blaze, and a
park archaeologist will help determine whether it should be rebuilt,
Baldino said.
BUGLIOSI SUPPORTS ATKINS RELEASE AT
UPCOMING MAY 28 HEARING
The Times – Despite outrage from victim’s family
members
CA.
LEGAL EXPERT ANDRE HINMAN CLAIMS SHE HAS A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING RELEASED
BECAUSE OF HER VAST POLITICAL SUPPOT
FOUR killers who belonged to cult leader Charles
Manson’s so called “family” are pleading for freedom 40
years after their spree of murder and mayhem.
One, Susan Atkins, who is California’s
longest-serving female prison inmate, is being backed by the prosecutor who
put them all behind bars. Former Los Angeles assistant
district attorney Vincent Bugliosi says he will support her parole
application on May 28, despite outrage from victims’ families.
He is backing her bid for release “on compassionate grounds” as
Atkins has brain cancer and now suffers paralysis in 85 per cent of her
body.He said: “She has paid
substantially, though not completely for her horrendous crimes. To pay
completely would have meant imposing the death penalty.” Bugliosi also
claimed the release of the 60-year-old would “save the state
money” as the cost of her daily medical care is now believed to be
Ł675.
If Atkins is set free, the three other jailed Manson followers have vowed
to step up their campaigns to be released, claiming they are completely
reformed. They are Charles ‘Tex’ Watson,
63, who became an ordained prison minister in 1983, Patricia Krenwinkel,
61, who is allowed to help train puppies to become prison service dogs and
Leslie Van Houten, 59, who mentors other inmates in a jail education
programme.
In an eerie twist, a new jail photo of Manson was released last month
– before Atkins and her fellow cronies revealed their latest
campaigns to secure release. All have claimed repeatedly that they are
sickened and horrified by their crimes and all say they now revile their
former mentor. In page after page of pleas and appeals to the parole board,
all have sworn that they are reformed. A source who has seen some of their
testimony said: “If you didn’t know who they were, you would
feel a genuine sense that they should be shown mercy. Not once do any of
them refer directly to their terrible crimes.”
Yesterday, however, relatives of their victims expressed
“horror” and “disgust” at the prospect of them
being set free. They are also outraged that Atkins has won the support of
Bugliosi and others. Debra Tate, 56, who was 16 when her sister Sharon was
killed, said: “The Manson Family are sociopaths who can never be
rehabilitated. I am incredulous that anyone could condone the release of
any of them. “Has everyone forgotten the sheer barbarity of their
actions and the sheer evil of their intent? The seven murders they
committed were so vicious, so inhumane and so depraved that there can be
no turning back.”
Atkins, who will be making her 18th parole application next month, is
thought by California legal expert Andre Hinman to have a “strong
chance” of succeeding with her plea. He told the Sunday Express:
“I understand there is a growing consensus that she is so chronically
ill that she poses no possible threat and so should be freed on
compassionate grounds.”
In the past, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated that
he would oppose all parole attempts by the Manson family killers and
possibly even go as far as vetoing parole board decisions. However, Mr
Hinman said: “He is a Republican governor swimming hard against a
liberal tide in a new administration. He may find support for Atkins to be
released is too overwhelming to ignore.”
(CNN) – Krenwinkel’s
Parole Hearing Set For December
(CNN) -- Susan Atkins is terminally ill;
Charles "Tex" Watson is an ordained minister. They and other
members of Charles Manson's murderous "family" now shun him.
After three decades behind bars, Manson family members Atkins, Watson, Patricia
Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten have repeatedly been described as model
prisoners who have accepted responsibility for their crimes.
Parole boards, however, continue to
reject their bids for release, and a debate rages over whether the four
should ever be freed. The release of Manson's prison photo recently rekindled
public interest in slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others
in a two-night rampage that terrorized the city of Los Angeles, California,
in August 1969. CNN looked into the status of some of his former followers.
Atkins, California's longest-serving female
inmate, requested a "compassionate release" from the California
Board of Parole Hearings in July. She has terminal brain cancer, doctors
say. The board unanimously denied her request.
Atkins' 18th parole suitability hearing
is scheduled for May 28, according to a Web site maintained by her husband
and attorney, James Whitehouse. The Web site says Atkins, now 60, is
paralyzed over 85 percent of her body and cannot sit up in bed or even be
moved into a wheelchair. Despite her declining condition and spotless
prison record, the site says, "there is still a very real chance the
Parole Board will nonetheless insist her release would be a danger to society."
The Manson family members were initially
sentenced to death, only to have their sentences commuted to life in prison
when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down death penalty laws in 1972,
establishing a four-year moratorium on executions. By her own admission,
Atkins held Tate down as she pleaded for mercy, and stabbed the
eight-months-pregnant woman 16 times. In a 1993 parole board hearing,
Atkins said Tate "asked me to let her baby live ... I told her I
didn't have any mercy on her."After stabbing Tate to death, according
to historical accounts of the murders, Atkins scrawled the word
"pig" in blood on the door of the home Tate shared with her
husband, director Roman Polanski, who was not home at the
time. Three of Tate's house guests were also slain, as was a teenager who
was visiting the home's caretaker in his cottage out back.
Atkins' compassionate release was opposed
by Tate's sister, Debra, Los Angeles County prosecutors and California Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others. However, the former prosecutor who won
her conviction, Vincent Bugliosi, said he supported Atkins' request for
release.
Debra Tate told CNN in an e-mail she does
not believe any Manson family member convicted of murder should ever be set
free. She said the slayings of the victims, including some that may have
not been discovered, were "so vicious, so inhumane, so depraved, that
there is no turning back. "
"The 'Manson Family' murderers are
sociopaths, and from that, they can never be rehabilitated," Debra
Tate said. "They should all stay right where they are -- in prison --
until they die. There will never be true justice for my sister Sharon and
the other victims of the 'Manson Family.' Keeping the murderers in prison
is the least we, as a society who values justice, can do." In a
manuscript posted on her Web site, Atkins, who was known within the Manson
family as Sadie Mae Glutz, wrote, "I will never be able to replace
what my crime took away. And that's not 'neat,' and that's not
'cool.'"
Known as Katie within the Manson Family,
Krenwinkel killed coffee heiress Abigail Folger at the Tate home and, the
following night, stabbed Rosemary LaBianca and carved the word
"War" on her husband Leno LaBianca's abdomen.
She remained faithful to Manson
throughout her trial and into the first few years of her incarceration,
according to a profile posted on the University of Missouri-Kansas City
School of Law Web site, but she later "made strides to turn her life
around." Now 61, Krenwinkel is a model inmate at the California
Institution for Women in Frontera, according to Lt. Robert Patterson, a
prison spokesman. She is involved in the Prison Pups program, which helps
train puppies to be service dogs, he said. "It gives you a reason to
wake up every morning, and keep moving on," Krenwinkel told Los
Angeles station KABC, a CNN affiiate. The program at that time had trained
more than 100 dogs; Krenwinkel said she was training her seventh dog.
According to the Manson Family Today Web
site, which keeps tabs on all things related to the case, Krenwinkel has
largely accepted the fact that she probably will never leave prison. Her
next parole hearing will be sometime before December, Patterson said.
Van Houten was convicted in the raid at
the LaBianca home, where she helped hold Rosemary LaBianca down as the
woman was stabbed to death. At the time, she was 19. "The autopsy
reports have shown that it was Tex that wielded the fatal wounds, but I
contributed, and I attempted to hold her down for Pat [Krenwinkel],"
Van Houten said in a 2002 appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live."
"I called to Tex because we couldn't kill her. You know, it's --
morally, I feel as though I did." Her conviction was overturned in 1976,
on the grounds that a judge erred in not granting a mistrial after the
disappearance of her attorney, Ronald Hughes, who later was found dead. In
Van Houten's first retrial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and she
was released on bond for a few months. But in her third trial, in 1978, she
was convicted of first-degree murder.
Known as Lulu within the Manson family,
Van Houten, a former high school homecoming queen, is serving her life
sentence at the California Institution for Women at Frontera, the same
facility as Krenwinkel and, until last year, Atkins.
Like Krenwinkel, Van Houten is involved
in prison programs and is a mentor to other inmates in the facility's
college program, Patterson said. She is also a model inmate, he added.
During her 2002 CNN appearance, Van Houten called Manson "an
opportunist of the cruelest, most vicious kind." But she was quick to
emphasize that she accepts blame for her role in the crime.
Like the others, Van Houten, 59, has repeatedly
been turned down for parole. She is widely seen as the best candidate for
parole. But her next parole hearing probably will not be until 2010,
according to Patterson. "Tex" Watson's participation in the
Manson murders is "a part of history that he deeply regrets,"
according to a Web site dedicated to his prisoner outreach program.
Watson converted to Christianity in 1975,
several years after he was incarcerated, and became an ordained minister in
1983, according to the site.
"He was manipulative," Watson
said of Manson in a November 2004 radio interview, the transcript of which
is posted on the Web site. "But I take full responsibility for my
ignorance, lack of identity, emptiness and choices in life, which left me
prey to his deceptive plan. My actions were my own."
Watson stabbed four people, including
Tate, to death and fatally shot two others. After the Tate murders, Watson
reportedly told Manson, "Boy, it sure was helter
skelter."However, Watson was not tried along with the others in the
slayings. A month and a half after the two-night crime spree, he said, he
fled to Texas. Watson, now 63, writes on the site that he has no computer
or Internet access in prison, but maintains contact with the site
administrator through the mail and writes much of the site's content.
Watson had been denied parole 13 times as of November 2006, a correction
spokeswoman said. His next parole hearing is scheduled for November.
INSIDE EDITION has obtained exclusive,
never-before-seen photos of Charles Manson's life in prison. The
convicted mass murderer spends his days playing chess and drinking Welch's
juice from a vending machine.
One photo was taken just two months ago, when he had a full head of hair,
but just a few days ago he shaved his head.
Age has finally caught up with the killer responsible for the murders of
actress Sharon Tate and six others. Manson is now 74-years-old.
The swastika tattoo on his forehead is there but has faded, his beard has
turned gray, and his hairline is receding. But the sister of slain
actress Sharon Tate still finds his eerie stare as disturbing as ever.
"He still has very intense eyes," Debra Tate says.
The photos belong to a man who calls himself Gray Wolf, a name given to him
by Manson. As incredible as it may seem, he says many women are still
drawn to Manson: "A lot of women find him handsome and debonair, and
they like to be around him," Gray Wolf says.
In some of the photos, taken within the last two months, Manson wears
sunglasses and strikes bizarre poses. In one he shows off the tattoos
that cover his wrists, which are crossed in a pose reminiscent of a corpse
laying in a coffin. In another he appears to be preaching from a
bible his friend holds. And on each photo he signs his name with a
swastika placed prominently in the middle of his signature.
The photos were taken at the maximum security Corcoran State Prison.
Most disturbingly, his friend claims Manson is regularly receiving fan mail
from teenagers.
Manson has never stopped seeking parole; his next parole hearing is
scheduled for 2012.
March
20.
NEW PRISON PHOTO OF CHARLES MANSON
RELEASED
AP/CNNCharlie Spends Most
of His Time Alone
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) --
California corrections officials released an updated prison photograph of Charles
Manson on Wednesday, showing the balding and graying 74-year-old, complete
with his iconic forehead swastika.
The picture was taken as part of a
regular update of inmate images at the California State Prison in Corcoran,
about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles, where Manson is serving a life
term.
The release of the picture comes ahead of
the 40th anniversary of the "Manson family" killings in August
1969. In his latest mug shot, Charles Manson's wild-eyed stare is gone, as
is most of his hair. Except for the swastika he carved into his brow during
his murder trial, he could be any gray-bearded senior citizen. If the photo
authorities released early this week is any indication, the leader of a
murderous band called "The Family," has mellowed some after
almost 40 years in a California state prison. He has had a lot of alone
time.
Manson, 74, is locked away in protective
custody, according to Sabrina Johnson, a spokeswoman at Corcoran State
Prison in Corcoran, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Manson has
his own cell. His exposure to prison neighbors that include mass killer
Juan Corona and Robert F. Kennedy's assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, is very
limited, Johnson said. He is quietly serving out his life sentence.
Although he once frequently gave bombastic rants on national television, he
hasn't granted a media interview in years.
Manson receives a lot of mail, and many
requests from people who want to visit him, Johnson said. He still
occasionally sees a few people. "Over the years, he's taken some
people off the visitor list and put them back on, " Johnson said.
"He has the same rights as any other prisoner." Manson has been
disciplined in the past, losing privileges, but he's now in good standing
and good health, Johnson added. Manson's next parole hearing is in 2010. He
did not show up for the last one in 2007. His mug shot, which instantly
made its way around the world over the Internet, was taken as part of a
regular update of inmate images at the prison. Its release comes ahead of
the 40th anniversary of the "Manson family" killings in August
1969.
Read
the entire stories HERE!
And another oneHERE!
March
20.
WAS JOEL PUGH KILLED IN LONDON BY
BRUCE DAVIS?
Daily Mail -Brilliantly well researched article by
David Edwards
Hotel manager Joseph Falk discovered the
blood-soaked body of the 29-year-old man at 6pm. Joel Pugh had checked into
the Talgarth Hotel, West London, five weeks before. He was a genial young
man who kept himself to himself.
He could often be heard playing his
guitar through his door, which he never locked. Yet in the weeks leading up
to that day, December 2, 1969, he had seemed increasingly withdrawn. When
the maid found his ground-floor room locked that Tuesday morning, Falk took
it upon himself to enter with a pass-key. ‘It only opened about one
foot,’ he later told police. ‘There seemed to be a weight
behind it. I felt what seemed like an arm.’
A police constable was sent to the hotel
in Hammersmith just after 6pm. Inside the room he discovered Joel’s
body lying on the floor, the walls covered in blood. Naked except for a
sheet, his throat had been slit twice and his wrists slashed. A week later,
an inquest heard how notes containing bizarre mirror writing were found
near his body, together with a hash pipe, leading a psychiatrist from
nearby St Bernard’s Hospital to speculate Joel was suffering from
depression. As far as the coroner was concerned this was nothing more than
a tragic suicide. Case closed.
Now, 40 years on, the Mail has uncovered
evidence suggesting Joel did not die by his own hand but was murdered at
the orders of cult leader Charles Manson. The notorious serial killer and
five members of his so-called ‘Family’ are serving life terms
for the 1969 murders of nine people, including the pregnant Sharon Tate,
wife of film director Roman Polanski. Now 74, Manson is imprisoned in a
California jail — and a picture of him released this week shows his
chilling gaze remains, as does a swastika carved crudely into his forehead.
Manson has hinted he was responsible for many more deaths — including
a dozen people who may have known too much about his grisly crimes.
Retired LA police sergeant Paul Whiteley,
who investigated the Manson-ordered slaying of musician Gary Hinman in
1969, says: ‘I’m almost certain Joel Pugh was murdered in
England by a Manson Family member called Bruce Davis. ‘We know he was
in London at the same time and we heard from an informant that The Family
had struck in Britain, but we were never able to get Scotland Yard
interested in the case. I spoke to them and they just wouldn’t
listen. ‘We were, frankly, amazed the police in England had decided
it was a suicide and refused even to consider foul play. ‘The crime
scene was so similar to the one found in Sharon Tate’s house. I still
think, even to this day, that Davis got away with murder on Manson’s
behalf.’
Despite having been in prison since his
arrest in 1969, Manson and his nightmarish crimes still exert a powerful
psychological grip on America, where rumours he may have been responsible
for dozens of other killings are taken seriously. Last May, police
excavated plots at Barker Ranch in Death Valley, Manson’s last
hideout, looking for the remains of further victims, although none were
found. So how did a respectable boy like Joel Pugh find himself at the
mercy of Manson’s cult? Tragically, his association with The Family
came about through an infatuation he developed with a young blonde called
Sandra Good.
After graduating from the University of
Minnesota in 1962, Joel served two years in the U.S. Army. After leaving the
military, he moved to San Francisco, California. It was here, while working
as a lab technician, that Joel, 24, met Sandra, a stockbroker’s
daughter. Author Gerard Jones, who was then dating Sandra’s older
sister, Ginny, remembers meeting the couple at the home of the girls’
father. ‘Joel was frail and sweet,’ says Gerard, now 66.
‘I remember thinking of him as a pleasant fellow and thought how
lucky Sandra was to have met such a nice guy.’ Sandra, who was four
years younger than Joel, was a troubled young woman who, like so many of
her generation, was searching for a purpose. Early in 1968, that purpose
arrived when a friend offered to fly her to L.A. to meet a guitar-playing
hippy known variously as The Wizard, The Soul, Jesus Christ — or,
more simply, Charlie Manson.
Paroled from jail in March 1967, after
several convictions for armed robbery and car theft, Manson had moved to
San Francisco where the Summer Of Love was about to explode.
With dreams of becoming a famous musician
like his idols, The Beatles, he set about creating a harem of willing young
women whom he controlled through a combination of psychobabble and LSD. The
following April, Sandra joined what was later dubbed ‘The
Family’ and became one of Manson’s most devoted followers. Her
on-off boyfriend was less enamoured. Joel’s brother, Daniel Pugh
tells me: ‘Sandra really wanted Joel to get to know Manson, but Joel
didn’t want to. He thought Manson was a complete creep. He
couldn’t accept Sandra’s association with him.’ The
Family started out as a supposedly idealist commune rejecting conventional
values such as materialism and monogamy in favour of ‘free
love’. For a short time in 1968, their members even included Beach
Boy Dennis Wilson, who was entranced by Manson’s charisma.
Gerard Jones says: ‘I’d hear
what Sandra was up to from Ginny. Like how she was seeing Joel, or was off in
the desert, or staying at one of The Beach Boys’ houses.
‘Before all the murders, everything
we heard about what Sandra was doing with Manson was very positive. It was
like: “Wow, she’s doing cool things and staying with pop
stars.”’ But troubled times were ahead. Daniel Pugh recalls:
‘Joel’s relationship with Sandy [as Sandra was also known]
became very on-and-off. ‘Joel got it into his head he needed to
fulfil himself. He was fascinated with zoology — so our dad
bankrolled a trip for him to Brazil in 1968 and then another, the year
after, to North Africa.’ During his second expedition, Joel
experienced a bout of depression. After befriending a California tourist
called Harriet Smith, he journeyed with her to Spain and then on to London.
He checked into the Talgarth Hotel, on what’s now the A4, on October
27. Daniel heard nothing from his brother during his stay in London but
later pieced together his final weeks when he visited London in September
1971.
‘Harriet said Joel spent most of
the time in his room and that she couldn’t get him to go out to see
the sights of London,’ he says. ‘It was only later we learned
that one of the Manson Family was staying just outside London at the same
time.’ While Joel had been on his travels, life in The Family had taken
a highly sinister turn. Frustrated at his failure to break into the music
business, Manson had taken to listening repeatedly to The Beatles’
1968 double-LP, known as The White Album. Tracks such as Blackbird, Piggies
and especially Helter Skelter convinced Manson the band were sending him
messages warning of an impending race war.
Convinced The Family would be the only
white survivors of the looming apocalypse, an increasingly unstable Manson
proclaimed himself the Messiah and ordered his followers to leave L.A. for
the bleak canyons of Death Valley where they would sit out the imminent
battle. Inconveniently, the war had not begun by the summer of 1969,
prompting him to order his disciples to kick-start it by committing the
most brutal murders in American history.
On August 8, Manson followers Susan
Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles Watson broke into a house in
Beverly Hills and murdered Sharon Tate, socialite Abigail Folger,
hairdresser Jay Sebring, Polish writer Wojciech Frykowski and 18-year-old
Steven Parent. The following night, Watson, Krenwinkel and fellow Manson
devotee Leslie Van Houten stabbed to death the racehorse owner Leno
LaBianca and his wife Rosemary at their L.A. home. In both cases, the
attackers sought to blame the slayings on members of the Black Panthers
— the Black Power organisation — by writing racially charged
slogans on the walls using the victims’ blood. The idea was to so
outrage the white community that they would take up arms and thus start a
race war.
While the world recoiled at the sheer
savagery of the murders — Frykowski, for example, was stabbed 51
times — several other people loosely connected with The Family
started to meet grisly, unexpected deaths in the following months. On the
evening of November 5, 1969, police were called to a house in L.A. where
they found the body of John Philip Haught, a member of The Family, lying on
a mattress with a bullet hole in his right temple and a revolver nearby.
Also in the room were four other Family members — including one Bruce
Davis, a drifter from Alabama, who had become Manson’s fixer and
right-hand man. They all claimed John had died while playing Russian
roulette. Bizarrely, the officers believed the story, despite the fact the
gun was fully loaded and had been wiped of prints.
Then on November 16, the body of an
unnamed teenage girl — who was widely thought to have been a former
Family member but never formally identified — was found in a ditch
with 157 stab wounds. Just five days later, the stabbed bodies of 15-year-old
James Sharp and Doreen Gaul, 19, were found in an L.A. alleyway. Doreen had
once been a girlfriend of Bruce Davis, whose whereabouts at the time of the
deaths remains unknown. It is easy to see how Joel’s death fits in
with the pattern of these killings. Many of these victims were once close
to The Family — but were now drifting away from its clutches. Manson
wreaked his bloody revenge on them and their newfound friends. Joel’s
relationship with Sandra had broken down and he had left his association with
The Family behind him. This meant that he too was now, in Manson’s
eyes, an enemy — and a traitor of The Family’s twisted cause.
Local district attorney Frank Fowles was
concerned about the activities of The Family. He contacted Interpol to
discover what Manson’s right-hand man, Davis had been up to. He
learned that Davis had made a connection in the UK some months back with
another controversial group, the Scientology religion. Records showed Davis
had been staying at a Scientology retreat in Felbridge, Surrey, before
returning to the U.S. on April 25, 1969. A letter sent to Fowles by
Scotland Yard read: ‘It has been established that Davis is recorded
as embarking at London airport for the United States of America on April
25, 1969, while holding United States passport 612 2568.
'At this time he gave his address as
Dormer Cottage, Felbridge, Surrey. This address is owned by the Scientology
movement and houses the religion’s followers.’
The letter continued: ‘The local police
understand that he has visited our country more recently than April 1969.
However, this is not borne out by our official records.’
Although Davis’ movements are hazy,
researchers say he returned to England for more Scientology training on
November 23, staying here for two months.
Curt Gentry, co-author of Helter Skelter,
an account of the Manson murders and trial, says: ‘The one person who
travelled more than anyone in The Family was Davis, who kept all the
members’ stolen credit cards and phoney IDs.
'Joel Pugh’s death has always
struck me as more than a suicide since Davis was in the UK at around the
same time. ‘Davis was a fanatical follower of Manson and the kind of
person who would be sent to do this.’ The coroner’s report of
Joel’s death has long since been lost, so details of his last days
are confined largely to two local newspaper reports of his inquest. Under
the headline: ‘Death notes in mirror’, the Fulham Chronicle of
December 12 reports how a concerned Falk entered Joel’s room:
‘Entering with a pass-key, Mr Falk found he could only open the door
a few inches and there was blood on the walls. He called the police who
found Mr Pugh on the floor with a razor blade about two feet from him.
‘Also in the room the police found a pipe containing cannabis resin
and several notes. But the notes were not suicide notes. Many were written
in mirror writing and could only be read by holding them in front of a
mirror. ‘A psychiatrist who saw the notes said that little could be
evaluated from them except that they were suggestive of depression.’
Vincent Bugliosi, the L.A. County
assistant district attorney who prosecuted Manson, remains troubled at how
the Metropolitan Police didn’t investigate the death fully. He says:
‘While the case resembled a suicide, it looked, and still looks, like
murder to me. Nobody thought the drawings or writings were important enough
to take down.
‘Nobody thought it important to
establish a time of death and, even though Pugh’s room was on the
ground floor and thus could have been entered by a window, nobody bothered
checking for prints. It’s now unlikely the mystery will ever be
solved.’
Davis, 66, is now an inmate at the
California Men’s Colony prison, 200 miles north of Los Angeles, where
he’s serving two life sentences for murder.
The first is for the slaying of Gary
Hinman, a musician and small-time drug dealer who was tortured for two days
by Davis and other Family members who wanted his money. The second is for
the murder of ranch-hand Donald ‘Shorty’ Shea, who Manson
believed was a police informer. Davis has never spoken publicly about
Joel’s death, but then there’s little incentive for him to do
so since the sheer horror of his crimes means he’s unlikely ever to
be released. Last September he was refused parole for the 25th time.When I wrote to him, he replied to say he
did not conduct media interviews, instead enclosing a pamphlet detailing
how he became a Christian in 1974. Interestingly, the tract reveals how,
like Joel, he travelled to North Africa, Spain and England sometime in
1969.
And Joel’s ex-girlfriend Sandra
Good, who turned 65 last month, is also silent. After Manson was
incarcerated, he set up a bizarre environmental group called Air, Trees,
Water, Animals (ATWA). Sandra supports this movement — and
ATWA’s website denies Joel was murdered. It says: ‘Joel Pugh is
described as a “former Manson Family member”. He never met
Manson or any of the other so-called Family members. After Pugh’s
death, his parents journeyed to London to satisfy themselves with the
official verdict of suicide. ‘After checking all the medical records
and the files at Scotland Yard they were satisfied the death was, indeed, a
suicide.’ Although she had no part in any Manson murders, Sandra has
repeatedly said she respects those who committed them and showed her
solidarity with The Family’s new environmental ‘cause’ in
1975 when she was jailed for ten years for conspiracy to send threatening
letters to businessmen she accused of polluting the environment. As revealed
by author Curt Gentry, soon after Manson’s arrest a letter by an
unknown Family member was discovered in a flat Sandra rented that contained
the line: ‘I would not want what happened to Joel to happen to
me.’
Joel’s family may never know what
really happened to the good-natured, quirky boy who set off for adventures
in distant lands in 1969, never to return. Until Davis finally comes clean,
their agony will continue.
NOTE: The author of this article contacted me
several times asking for certain information
March
17.
“THE SIX DEGREES OF HELTER
SKELTER”IS OUT !!!
The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter"
walks in the footsteps of the Manson Family, visiting over 40 locations
related to the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders, and tying together the
dozens of odd connections between Charles Manson and the Hollywood elite.
Scott did a great job and has obviously done his homework. His enthusiasm
and his knowledge of LA’s dark side are contagious. When you watch
the film, you are going on a trip. I especially liked all the twists and
seeing places I never even knew existed. Scott Michaels takes you on a
journey in this feature-length DVD documentary
offers an entertaining and hauntingly unique retelling of the
notorious Manson Family Murders through by
taking viewers on an insightful exploration of over 40 key locations
associated with the spree that rocked Los Angeles and shocked the world in
August 1969
Here is a great article about the film
and the 40th anniversary of this horrible tragedy. You can also
watch the trailer HERE!
Susan Denise Atkins through her husband
has finally published her long awaited third book of her reflections and
account of the crimes, trials and subsequent incarceration. The manuscript
was written between 2000 and 2003 and was meant for publishing. However,
with Susan’s declining health and upcoming board hearing in May,
James Whitehouse has published the manuscript in its entirety on
Susan’s website. Susan completely dismisses Bugliosi’s Helter
Skelter theory and gives a more realistic reason and motive for the crimes.
Much of her reflections are made in hindsight and portrais herself as well
as the other murderers as victims of Charles Manson which undoubtedly is
correct on some level. But she forgets to mention that she and her crime
partners who carried out the crimes were responsible for 169 stab wounds on
7 victims, not Charles Manson.
Susan’s latest account might sem to
some as self serving but after all the research I have done there is some
truth in it and her account of the motives and events leading up to the
crimes is much more plausable than Bugliosi’s Helter Skkelter theory.
If you are interested in reading Susan’s manuscript, its avaialable
for free through her website www.susanatkins.org
It contains a foreword by James Whitehouse where he explains that Susan was
not able to finish it properly because of her declining health. Whitehouse
is also asking people to write letters in support for his wife’s
upcoming parole hearing on May 28.
“The Myth of helter Skelter”
By Susan Atkins HERE!
Los
Angeles Times-Judge Found Defense Argument Credible
Roman Polanski lost a battle Tuesday in
his effort to get a 1977 child sex case against him thrown out, but in delivering
the bad news, a judge suggested the acclaimed director may be a plane
ticket away from winning the larger war.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza told a packed courtroom
that he found the core argument in Polanski's request for a dismissal of
charges -- allegations of unethical and, in some instances, illegal conduct
by a prosecutor and a judge three decades ago -- to be credible.
"There was substantial, it seems to me, misconduct that occurred
during the pendency of this case," Espinoza said.
But, the judge said, Polanski's fugitive status left him no choice but to
deny the request. Espinoza suspended his ruling for 30 days to allow
Polanski to discuss surrendering with his lawyers. He later extended that
deadline until May at the request of Polanski's attorneys, who said the
director is filming a movie in Germany for the next 2 1/2 months.
Polanski, now 75, has said he has no intention of returning to the United
States. A 1978 arrest warrant, issued after he failed to appear at his
sentencing on a statutory rape conviction, is still in effect, and he would
be taken into custody upon arrival on U.S. soil.
In spite of Polanski's pledge not to come
back, his legal team seemed to be mulling the possibility of a return.
After Espinoza voiced support for the allegations of misconduct, a lawyer
for Polanski pressed the judge for details about how the case might play
out if the director were present in court. Espinoza declined to discuss how
he would rule.
Polanski's lawyers and agent would not comment on whether the director is
considering a return. In 1997, a prosecutor and a defense attorney worked
out a plan for the director to surrender, be arrested at the airport,
brought to court, sentenced and immediately released. The agreement fell
apart with Polanski's side saying he objected to television coverage in
court.
The victim settled a civil suit
against Polanski and publicly forgave him. She has asked that the case be
dismissed. Her attorney on Tuesday argued to Espinoza that she could make
the motion to dismiss the charges if Polanski's fugitive status prevented
the judge from doing so, but Espinoza said in a written ruling that there
was no "legal justification" to support that argument.
Exclusive private emails published on Fox
News HERE!
Feb
07.
SUSAN ATKINS PAROLE CONSIDERATION
HEARING SET FOR MAY 28
Board
Of Parole Hearings – Atkins
health has reportedly improved
Susan Denise Atkins-Whitehouse is scheduled
for her 13th subsequent parole consideraton hearing on May 28. at 01:30 PM.
She is probably not expected to appear in person becaue of her medical
problems but her health has reportedly improved considerably because of
intensive medical treatment. The hearing will be held at the Central
Women’s Facility at Chowchilla, CA where Atkins is currently
incarcerated in the medical unit.
Last June when she was denied
compassionate release from prison the doctors had given her a deadline of
life claiming she would not live longer than 3-6 months. This is her
regularly scheduled hearing after her denial in June of 2005 when she
recieved a 4 year denial from the board. It was shortly following that
hearing when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Atkins’ last serious prison
violation was in 2003 when she was caught selling and profiting from her
artwork. She gave the explination to the CDC officers that the proceeds
were to go to family members of her murder victims although it was never
substanciated. An art dealer in New York has handled her artwork and showed
it at several galleries in New York and has sold quite a few at a hefty
price because of her notoriety. One of the artwork sold was a painting of
her prison cell with a functional hour glass filled with beads in the
middle and under it was the message “Just a matter of time.”
Dr Smith stated in his Evaluation for the
BPT in 2005, that Susan is “a socially poised expressions of grief
and tearfulness during our interview.” Susan stated “that she feels
that she “lives with [the victims] every day.” She feels that
the scope of her crimes is such that there is not a way she could make
amends, but that, in spite of this, she must try to do so daily.”...
“She was asked whether memories of any particular victim stood out in
her mind. She responded, “No, each one of their lives were valuable
– each one.” “Inmate Atkins does admit responsibility and
she offers what appear to be credible expressions of insight and
remorse.” Summary: “1. This inmate is mentally stable, with no
history of recent dangerousness in a controlled setting. There is no
immediate threat of dangerousness, should this inmate be released to the
community. 2. This inmate has a favorable risk profile for
release to the community conditional on her continued abstinence from
alcohol and/or illegal drugs. That is, if she remains alcohol and substance
free, future dangerousness is NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE, should she be
released from custody.” 3. I am “fully supportive of a release”
in accordance with these conclusions.woman of above intelligence. She is
articulate and expresses herself very well.” “She readily
accepts responsibility for the murders...” “She disavows this
kind of thinking at present, and recalling these things resulted in
Correctional Counselor, in his Report to
the BPT, states that the crime is mitigated by the fact that it was
“committed during or due to an unusual situation unlikely to
reoccur.” States that despite being denied for 4 years in 2005, Susan
has “enhanced her parole suitability by remaining disciplinary free,
continuing to program in a positive manner, and maintaining a positive
outlook toward future parole possibilities.” “Ms. Atkins’
parole plans appear to be stable and well thought out. She is highly employable
and it does not appear that she would have any problem securing employment.
...[she] appears to be well prepared for transition into society if granted
parole.” Prisoner Behavior “Exceptional overall.”
“If released, she appears to have developed the professional, and
social skills to make a smooth transition into society.”
Despite her illness, her parole hearing
is set to take place on May 28, at 01:30 PM. She will be represented by her
husband James Whitehouse and Eric Lampell. If she lives that long she might
even appear in a wheelchair and undoubtedly the families of her many murder
victimsare expected to attend.
Atkins’ website maintained by her
husband/lawyer HERE!
Jan
16.
“DER BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX”
NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR
Hits
theaters in the US next month – Highly Recomended!
BERLIN (AP) – Although I rarely
write about other cases aside from the Manson case I felt compelled to
share this with you all after catching the film at a local film festival.
It is based on the true story of the Red Army Faction, dubbed “the
Baader-Meinhof gang” by the worldwide media. The film is directed by
Uli Edel who directed Downfall two yeras ago about the last days of hitler.
The RAF was an urban guerilla terrorist group responsible for almost 40
murders and 300 injuries and attempted murders in West Germany and other
parts of Europe. They consisted equally of young men and women who were
resposible for countless assasinations, bambings, kidnappings, arson, plane
jackings and were able to perpitrate a full scale war during their reign of
terror in germany between 1968 and 1980.
TRAILER
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT SEEN IT.
The film has been shown at several film
festivals and is about to hit the uS. This was the most notorious terrorist
organisation in Europe at the time and the Symbyomese Liberation Army ,
most famous for kidnapping Patty Hearst borrowed alot of their ideology
from the RAF. The film has been nominated for every major award at various film
festivals including the a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for best
foreign language film. Just watch the trailer. It has also been critisiced
for making young people who descend into full blown terrorism glamarous and
sexy. Others say it portrays them accurately, just as they really were;
cold blooded murderers. I would recomend everyone who who remembers
thiscase, and also those too young
to renmember but are interested in this turbulant era to go and see it. It
is very well done.
In March of 2008, Briggitte Mohnhaupt who
was once called the most evil and dangerous woman in the Germany was
released on parole after serving 24 years in prison near Frankfurt. She was
directly responsible for 9 murders and several attempted murders, bank
robbery and two kidnappings. She never showed any remorse during her
incarceration but a prison psyciatrist said she was no longer a danger to
the community. She is now a free woman. Only two other RAF members are
still behind bars. The core group Ulrika Meinhof, Andreas Baader, Gudrun
Enslin and others committed suicide in 1977 on the same day in solitary
confinment when their comrads including Mohnhaupt had kidnapped politicians
and a passanger jumbo 707 to get them released. When the plot failed. They were
found in their calls hanged or shot.
Nadia
Uhl as Brigitte Maunhaupt in the filmOriginal Wanted Posters of the core members
Damian
Chapa’s ‘Polanski Unautharized’ - LA Premiere –
LOS ANGELES, January 22 -- The first
biopic about the life of Director Roman Polanski will be released Friday,
February 13th and will run in selected cinemas in Hollywood for three
weeks. A monumental day for a revealing film that one critic describes as
"a chilling portrait of one of the most controversial figures in the
history of movies." Spanning four decades, the film covers everything
from a turbulent childhood in war torn Poland, the murder of his wife Sharon
Tate by the infamous Charles Manson cult and the infamous rape case that
lead to Polanski's exile. Polanski avoided incarceration by escaping to and
maintaining residence in Europe.
Considering the current legal disputes, it
is unlikely Polanski will be in attendance, but for the rest of you, as a
popular critic put it, "Check it out - you'll thank me later."
The film Hollywood does not want you to see must be seen to be believed.
"Polanski Unauthorized" is
directed by and stars Damian Chapa who is famous for his lead role in
Taylor Hackford's cult classic "Blood in Blood Out" as well as
"Under Siege" starring Steven Seagal released by Warner Brothers.
The screening of 'Polanski Unauthorized'
will be at the Laemmle's Sunset 5, 800 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood 90046.
The screening will commence at 7:00 pm and will benefit the Children's
Defense League, F.T.G Foundation. A cocktail party will follow the
screening and a meet and greet with exclusive interviews available with Damian
Chapa.
The main cast includes: Damian Chapa
(Roman Polanski), Leah Grimsson (13 year old Girl), Thomas Druilhet (The
Devil), Brienne De Beau (Sharon Tate), Silvia Suvadova (Polanski's Mother),
Christian Serritiello (Polanski's Father) and Paul James Saunders (Eugene
Gatowski)
Reviews:
"A movie to cause talk, raise
eyebrows, rattle cages and have Hollywood insiders blow their stacks!"
Robert Osborne, The Hollywood Reporter
"A chilling portrait of one of the
most controversial figures in the history of movies."
Terry Keffe, The Hollywood Interview
"Chapa does an excellent job as the
lead. Standout performances included Christian Serritiello as Polanski's
father and Paul James Saunders as Polanski's financier."
Jan
21.
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED & DESIRED ON
DVD JAN. 27
Release
Rushed Because of Renewed Interest in the Case –
With the recent buzz surrounding the
legal motions and hearings to get the Polanski charges dropped because of
new statements and evidence presented in Marina Zenovich’s new
documentary “Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired” which
premiered on HBO last summer, the producers decided to use the publicity
surrounding the case to increase interest and sales by releasing the
documentary on DVD.
The documentary will be released in the
US on January 27, available everywhere. European release will follow in
February
Defense
Lawyers Claim Court is Biazed Against Polanski
LOS ANGELES (BBC) - A dismissal hearing
had been scheduled to take place at the Los Angeles Superior Court. But Mr
Polanski's lawyer sought a stay, claiming the entire court was biased
against the veteran film-maker. The 2nd District Court of Appeal issued the
stay on Tuesday in response to an 11th-hour motion by Mr Polanski's
attorney, Chad Hummel.
Mr Hummel argued a neutral judge from
outside Los Angeles County should be appointed after a Superior Court
spokesman said Mr Polanski was required to be present for his hearing.
This, the attorney claimed, showed the court had prejudged the case and was
biased against his client. The court has asked the prosecution to submit
written arguments on the issue before 30 January. The Polish-born
director's legal team are basing their bid on Roman Polanski: Wanted and
Desired, a 2008 documentary that was part-funded by the BBC. They claim the
film revealed "judicial and prosecutorial misconduct [that] so
distorted the legal process that the interests of justice can only be served
with complete dismissal of the case".
Samantha Geimer - the victim of the
statutory rape case - has asked the charges against the film director be
dropped. In a written declaration, the 45-year-old said the court's
insistence that Mr Polanski appeared for the dismissal hearing in person
was "a cruel joke".
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Fugitive director
Roman Polanski has no right to a hearing on a motion to dismiss his
31-year-old sex case because he refuses to appear in court, a prosecutor
asserted Friday. Prosecutor David Walgren said in newly filed documents
that Polanski flouted the law when he fled to France to avoid sentencing
for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl. He said the director has no
right to a hearing until he submits to the court's jurisdiction. He added
that the now-45-year-old victim, who wants to speak at the hearing
Wednesday to urge dismissal, should not be heard unless he appears.
Polanski's lawyer says he has no plans to
ever return to the United States but claims the case can be heard without
him. If Polanski chose to attend the hearing, he would be immediately
arrested. Walgren said little has changed legally since the day in 1978
when Polanski failed to appear in a Santa Monica courtroom for sentencing.
"The defendant ignored a lawful and
valid court order to appear in court and instead chose to flee to the
comforts of France," he said. "It would be a farce for this court
to review the case when it has no jurisdiction over the defendant,"
the prosecutor said. Walgren argued that allowing such a hearing would
violate the basic principle of the fugitive disentitlement doctrine, that
"a fugitive from justice has no right to ask the court to review the
very judgment that the fugitive flouts."
As for the victim's right to speak,
Walgren concluded: "Until such time that the defendant submits to this
court's jurisdiction and the court holds a hearing, the time is not ripe
for the victim, either personally or through her attorney, to be heard in
court." Polanski, the director of such film classics as
"Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby," won the 2002
directing Oscar for his Holocaust-themed film, "The Pianist."
NEW POLANSKI MOVIE – THE GHOST
Starring
Ewan McGreggor and Kim Cattrall
The buzz is building on Roman Polanski's adaptation of Robert Harris's
novel 'The Ghost'. The movie, in pre-production in Germany, is being
adapted by Harris with Polanski lending a hand. The tale of a ghostwriter
hired to finish the memoir of a former British prime minister stars Pierce
Brosnan as the fictional ex-PM, Olivia Williams as his wife, Kim Cattrall
(right) as the private secretary and Ewan McGregor as the ghostwriter.
The
DA’s Office Urges Him to Return to face his charges
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge
rejected fugitive filmmaker Roman Polanski's request to have another
jurisdiction handle his attempt to have a 31-year-old child-sex case
dismissed. Judge Peter Espinoza ruled Friday that the Academy Award-winning
director had not shown any grounds to disqualify him or the entire court.
Espinoza is set to preside over a Jan. 21 hearing in which Polanski's
lawyers will argue that the sex charge should be dismissed. Polanski, now
75, pleaded guilty to unlawful intercourse with a a 13-year-old girl in
1977, but fled the country before sentencing. He lives in France.
Polanski must be present to request
dismissal of charges.
I just recently learned about the History
Channel show. It is not exclusively about Charles Manson although they will
profile the crimes as the project touches on the topics of cults and
satanism. The show is currently in production.
Patty Duke on O’Reilley Factor
Also tonight on Friday Jan, 9. the
O’Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel had a segment Factor TV Icon
of the Week. Patty Duke was his guest and they did a little story on her
background and how Sharon Tate lived at her house and if she only had
stayed there before moving to Cielo Dr. They ran some rare footage of
Sharon and off course Manson and scenes from Valley of the Dolls. Patty
Duke was Sharon’s co star in that film.
Thanks to Mike for the tip.
Investigation
Discovery Channel launches in Europe
For those who live in the UK and Europe,
the Investigation Discovery Channel will launch there on January 20,
available through SKY and Virgin on Channel 551 I believe. ID Channel has
many Manson Family – Tate-LaBianaca related shows on it’s schedule.
It will apparantly have the same lineup as the US version. Thanks to Donna
Powell from London for the tip.
Jan
9.
EL COYOTE IN TROUBLE
Gay
People Outragedthat the owner
supports Prop 8
Majorie Chrisoffersen, the manager of El
Coyote, resigned after her single $100 donation to
Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, sparked protests and backlash towards her and the famously gay
friendly restaurant.
This is a little christmas present from
me and Heaven to those who did not get a chance to see this or live outside
the US and want to see the latest two documentaries. The honour goes to
Heaven for encoding the videos and uploading them. Now you can watch them
through our site although hosted on google.
MSNBC – “Will You Kill For
Me” Complete 2 hour docu, HERE!
Video copyright belongs to MSNBC, Sirens
Media, LMNO Productions and Inveastigation Discovery.
I recieved my advanced copy of Scott
Michaels’ Six Degrees of Helter Skelter which I found to be
brilliantly produced and put together. Thanks Scott for the copy! I will
write a nice review later tonight.
Marry Christmas!
Dec
23.
HAPPY HOLLIDAYS TO EVERYONE
I want to take this oppertunety to wish
all of you a marry christmas and a happy new year and thank you all for the
the incredible support you have shown us through the year of 2008. Manson
Family related coverage in the media hasn’t been this much in years
which is largely due to the Barker Ranch ordeal, the Susan Atkins
controversy and countless documentaries. This has been a peak year in terms
of visitors per day and the numbers go way up as soon as anything is
reported or covered in the media. We want to thank you for all your
cobntributions and hopefully next year will be as good for us.
Check
out our latest updates:
Manson’s 1981 parole transcript
where he appeared in person. HERE!
Letters from Janet Parent and Sheila
welsh to the CA parole regarding the compassionate release of Susan Atkins.
HERE!
New additions to our photographs section.
2007-2008 Parole Hearings and Bruce Davis. HERE!
Dec
22.
MANSON FOLLOWER BEAUSOLEIL DENIED PAROLE
FOR 5 YEARS
KCBS
2:Next Hearing Scheduled in December 2013
LOS
ANGELES: A state parole board panel Monday denied parole to former Charles
Manson follower Robert Beausoleil, who was convicted in a musician's 1969
stabbing death.
The two-member panel from the Board of Parole Hearings issued a five-year
denial, making the 61-year-old inmate eligible for his next parole hearing
in 2013, according to Deputy District Attorney Patrick Sequeira.
Beausoleil was initially sentenced to death for the July 26, 1969, slaying
of Gary Hinman in his Topanga Canyon home. But his sentence -- along with
those of Manson and a number of his followers -- was later commuted to life
in prison following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on new requirements for
capital cases.
Most recently, the parole board has
denied a plea for "compassionate release" in July from former
Manson follower Susan Atkins, who has terminal brain cancer, along with
Bruce Davis' September 2007 bid for parole. Atkins and Davis were also
convicted in Hinman's killing.
Manson and many of his other former
followers, who have repeatedly been denied parole, remain behind bars.
Recent photograph of Charles Manson. Gary
Hinman’s wounds he suffuered on his ear and face after being
tourtured by Beausoleil and later stabbed to death by the buck knife shown
on the right.
Beausoleil must have had some strong
opposition or made some serious disclipinary violation in order to recieve
a 5 year denial for one murder. He got the same as Manson and Watson. Even
Atkins and Krenwinkel who were convicted of 8 and 7 counts of murder
recieved 4 and 3 year denials and Beausoleil has in the past been subject
to one or two year denials. So Beausoleil must have done something serious
in order to be handed a 5 year denial. We will find out what it is and
provide a transcript to document what happened during the hearing.
Debra Tate was able to collect around
100 letters in opposition to Beausoleil being released on parole.
DEBRA TATE COLLECTS LETTERS TO OPPOSE
BEAUSOLEIL RELEASE
Bobby
Beausoleil has a parole hearing on Dec 22.
Debra Tate obviously only recently
learned that convicted murderer of Gary Hinman, Robert Beausolel is
scheduled to appear before the Board of Parole Hearings for his 16th parole
hearing on December 22 at 1:00 PM in Sacramento. A few days ago she got
word out and enlisted the help of the public to write letters in opposition
toBeausoleil being granted parole
and send them via e-mail through Mark Turner’s website
CharlieManson.com. At the time of her request, it was obviously too late to
send letters through the mailand therefore promkised that the letters would
be delivered to the board if people sent it via e-mail, probably through
Patrick Sequeira, the district attorney who will be attending the hearing
in person.
We reported on his upcoming parole
hearing on December 1st so anyone who seriously wanted to send a letter
could have done so at that time and many probably did. Beausoleil has had a
vast suppoert sistem through the years but the opposition seems to be
growing. He has never receieved a vote for release and the police
department, district attorneys office and other officials continually
oppose him being released on parole. In 1985, then California Governor
George Dejukekjan wrote a letter to the Board of Prison Terms and asked
them to hold both Susan Atkins and Bobby Beausoleil “accountable”
and have them serve out their life terms and never grant them parole. This
was highly unusual that the governor would write suh an order to the parole
board. (You can read the letter in Susan Atkins 1985 transcript)
Dec
18.
DEARLY DEPARTED VOL. 2: SIX DEGREES OF
HELTER SKELTER
Documentary
Explores Over 40 Manson Locations
Scott Micheals’ Manson documentary
“Six Degrees of Helter Skelter” is supposedly being released
today according to the Los Angeles Chroicle, December 18. Scott sent me an advanced
copy which I’m still waiting to recieve. Once the DVD arrives I will
write a review. A friend of mine in the US watched it today and said it was
very good, brilliant indeed. I’ve been trying to reach Scott for a
couple of days to confirm the release date reported in the LA Chronicle and
complete the interview for the review.
The 104-minute film follows Michaels as
he retraces the footsteps of the Manson Family from the remains of their
Death Valley hideout to the properties where seven victims were murdered.
Along the way, Michaels offers his encyclopedic knowledge of the dark side
of Hollywood history to bring the three-decades-old crime into present day
focus, shed new light on even the most well-known aspects of the story, and
connect the dots between a number of odd relationships and coincidences
connecting the murderers, their victims, and Hollywood elite.
Also included are original Manson Family
music recordings, rare vintage photos of the story´s major players, and
never-before-seen autopsy reports, which are further analyzed by Craig
Harvey, Chief Coroner Investigator & Chief of Operations of the Los
Angeles County Department of Coroner. DVD bonuses include an additional 30
minutes of material focusing on the Beach Boys´ Dennis Wilson, Manson
follower Squeaky Fromme, and more.
"The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter" is the third collaboration
between writer/host Michaels and Tenacity Entertainment executive
producer/writer/director Mike Dorsey. It follows the successful 2007 DVD
release of "Dearly Departed: Vol. 1" available at Amazon.com, and
an online short video documentary about the Wonderland Murders crime scene,
available exclusively at TenacityEnt.com.
Michaels is the man behind the popular Findadeath.com website and
owner/operator of Dearly Departed Tours (which offers a dedicated
"Helter Skelter" tour) in Los Angeles, and makes regular
appearances on E! Entertainment programs about Tinseltown death and mayhem,
including last year´s "20 Most Horrifying Hollywood Murders."
Buy Dearly Departed Vol 1. DVD through
Amazon HERE!
Dec
15.
NEW DOCUMENTARY: MANSON´S MISSING
VICTIMS
Shorty
Shae, Hinman and other victims are profiled
The Investigation Discovery Channel
(I.D.) will premiere a very interesting show in a few days. A researcher
for the Production company LMNO Productions sent us this cool promo yesterday.
The show will premiere on December 18 at 9:00 PM east coast time. This
should be very a interesting show with lots of rare footage. You will
notice my name in he credits since I helped them a bit in the early stages
of the production. I allowed them to use material from my website and being
professionals, they wanted to give proper credit. I will recomend to
evereyone to watch this one, this will have a different take on the case
than we are used to seeing on shows of this nature
Barbara Hoyt, Catherine Share, retired
homicide detective Bill Gleason, Manson author Tom O’ Neill, Paul Dostie,
Debra Tate, Dr. Stephen Diamond, Dr. Vass, Steven Kay and Marc Wise are
amongst those who are interviewed for the program. Rumour has it that
Barbara Hoyt has lost a lot of weight and is in much better health. Barbara
has been truthful in her accounts of her days with the manson Family while
Catherine Share on the other hand has many people raising eyebrows as to
her recolection to what her actual role in the Family was. The shows
producers make it clear that she knows far more than she’s willing to
reveal. She was the oldest woman in the Family and certainly as close to
Charlie as Pitman and Fromme. She has also been in contact with Leslie Van
Houten ans Susan Atkins in recent years.
Scott Goodfried from LMNO Productions is
certainly a manof his word as he
sent us this promo and promosed long ago to let us know when the show would
air. We helped them locate some footage a few months ago when they were
doing research on Shorty Shea. Some people in the media ask us for
information and to do research for them and then they dont even bother to
let us know when the particular show will air, let alone give proper
credit. But both Dateline, GMA, The Globe, the History Channel and LMNO who are producing the show for the Investigation Discovery
Channel (I.D.) and others are certainly professional and honest.
Dec
13.
CATHERINE SHARE AUTOBIOGRAPHY FINISHED
Books
By Tom O‘Neil and Bobby Beausoleil also in the Works
Catherine
Share, also known in the Manson family as Gypsy has been working on her
autobiography since the late 1980’s. After Bill Nelson went after her
and exposed her elaborate credid card fraud scheme, the fact that she was
in the witness protection program because of her third con husband, her
attempts to escape from prison and continued life of crime long after she
parted ways with Manson. It will be interesting how Share will portray
herself in her upcoming book. I would say, just put it all out there.
People make mistakes in their lives and she has obviously turned her life
around. People will have much more respect for her if she just comes clean
and clears things up once and for all.
She was
sentenced to 15 years to life in 1973 for her role in the Hawthorne
shootout and she along with Mary Brunner served time with Atkins,
Krenwinkel and Van Houten at the death row security unit built especially
foor the Manson women. Catherine was eventually paroled but was later
sentenced to prison in 1979 and served 6 years.
Share was indicted in absentia by a
federal grand jury in 1979 on six counts of mail fraud, interstate
transportation of stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Authorities said she is believed to have organized a scheme in which she
bilked merchants out of more than $200,000. One official said she's
believed to be the brains behind an operation in which the merchandise was
purchased through phony credit card orders placed over the telephone and
subsequently delivered to offices set up in Sacramento, Carmichael,
Woodland, Redwood City, Roseville. Ceres, and Phoenix, Ore. She married
Kenneth Como during a Folsom Prison ceremony in 1976. Her husband was
serving a 20 year sentence for his role in a holdup with Share and other
Manson clan members of the gun store in Hawthorne and witnesses say she
fired the first shot at the officers. In television interviews and outtakes
I have seen her say that she only drove the car, was told to get her
drivers license and had no idea where they were going.
When she failed to show up in U.S.
District Court in February, she was free on $10,000 bail following her
indictment on a charge of lying on the bank loan application. I hope
Catherine Share will take the right step and not play the Patty Hearst
syndrome card like she has been doing in past interviews. People will respect
you for telling the truth and admire the way you turned your life around.
OTHER
BOOKS SCHEDULED FOR 2009
Tom
O’Neil and Bobby Beausoleil
Tom O’Neil has been working on his
exhaustively well researched and thourough book on the case for about 10
years, of an on. This is probably the best b. ook to come out in years in
terms of original research and personal interviews. Most books that have
been writtten and published in recent years have been simply quotes from
other books and really lacked some original research. The exception was
Jess Bravin’s book on “Squeaky” and too some extentGreg King’s book “Sharon Tate
and the Manson Murders.” Others have just qouted previous books and
really lacked some new information, original research, new information and
original interviews. Tom’s book will be published by Penguin sometime
in 2009. It will cover some new material and present interviews with many
former Manson followers including Steve Grogan, Barbara Hoyt, Nancy Pitman
and many other key players in this notorious case.
Bobby Beausoleil has also been working on
his book for some time now. It would probably have been out years ago
without his problems with the parole board. They would probbably see it as
trying to profit from his crimes. But having been transferred to Oregon he
is not subjected to the same laws as the other Manson followers. He can
record his music and sell his artwork because the same rules don’t
apply there. The publishing of his book may or may not depend on the
outcome of his parole hearing later this month
Dec
14.
MSNBC 2 HOUR SPECIAL - REVIEWS BY SITE
REGULARS
“Well
produced but offered little new2
"Well put
together and creatively filmed but the information is the same things we've
heard a million times. Nothing new for the case veterans but very
interesting for those just becoming familiar with the Manson murders.
Worth watching but don't expect anything beyond what we've already heard.
Also, the interviews are not done with the actual killers. They use actors
to recite parole hearings and other testimony."
-Heaven
“Great
documentary with an interesting setup. The promos were misleading though.
They implied that Sadie and Tes would be interviewed from prison but they
used their accounts from books and parole hearings to tell the story.
Putting that aside, it was very well produced and nice to see a documentary
on the subject longer than the usual 40 minutes. I would still like to see
a real documentary made in the spirit of “The Taking of patty
Hearst” whhich was great and won several awards. I am sure somethuing
similar can be done with this case. If anyone has not seen that docu on the
SLA, I reccomend it strongly for everyone.”
-Tom
“This was
a great documentary in my opinion. It was well put together and creatively
edited. The producers chose the right people to tell the story. Vincent
Bugliosi, Linda Deutcsh, Catherine Share and Dr. Smith the psychiatrists
who wrote the essay “The Group Marriage Commune” a few months
before the murders. The highlights for me in the show was that AP
Correspodant Linda Deutsch, Dr. Smith, Catherine Share, Atkins, Watson and
everybody objected to Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter theory as being the
main motive for the murders and provided a more realistic explanation of
this senseless act.
This
documentary went much deeper into the story than we normally see and there
was a lot of footage I had not seen before. AP’s Deautsch brought up
that kasabian was just as culpable as the othr kids, she was just lucky to
get immunity. She was as guilty at the tate house as Susan Atkins was at
the LaBianaca house. The highlight for me was also was Catherine
Share’s account. She was really the star of the show. She was allowed
to explain the events in detail without being editedinto fitting soundbites. After watching
the show tonight (thanks Heaven) I have more respect for Share. She really
explained the events leading up to the crimes and their relationship with
Manson very well. Others have had a difficult time putting it into words,
understandable to someone who wasn´t there and she really brought it home.
Better than any of these people have been able to do in the past, at leasxt
on television.
GREAT
SHOW!!”
-Bret
I
will put together a special page with all the reviews you guys have sent.
Now it’s way past bedtime. =)
Dec
13.
YOUNG ACTRESS GINA LIMBRICK PLAYS
PATRICIA KRENWINKEL
In
New MSNBC Documentary - Interview
Gina Limbrick is a young actress from
Fredericksburgwho landed the role
of Pat Krenwinkel in the re-enacted scenes in the 2 hour MSNBC special
“Will You Kill For Me.”The young actress can be seen Sunday
night in her biggest role yet. She played Patricia Krenwinkel, one of
Charles Manson's three main girlfriends and a convicted murderer, in a
two-hour documentary produced by Sirens Media of Silver Spring, Md.
The documentary, "Will You Kill For
Me? Charles Manson and His Followers," debuts at 9 p.m. on MSNBC.
Limbrick also helped with the film's fight choreography. She became
certified in unarmed combat and rapier and dagger work last year at the
British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat in London. "I guess that's
been kind of my way of getting into the acting industry," she said.
"If you have something that sets you apart from other actors and
actresses, then it's easier to get your foot in the door."
The role of Krenwinkel was even more
difficult. The documentary focuses on what led to the August 1969 murders
of actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles by Manson's followers,
said producer Faith Gaskins. The film also explores the childhoods of
Manson and two of his main followers, Charles "Tex" Watson and
Susan Atkins, Gaskins said.
The film's hook, she said, is how these
people ended up willing to kill for Manson. Limbrick's character plays a
prominent role in the film's second hour. Company officials immediately
thought of Limbrick for the role. "She is very professional and
talented," Gaskins said, "and she definitely has the right look
to play a hippie."Limbrick went back to London to work with her acting
coach for a week to prepare for the role. She read "Manson In His Own
Words" and watched interviews of Krenwinkel. She found that not only
did she resemble the long-haired Krenwinkel, but she spoke like her as
well.
"It was kind of eerie," she
said.
Filming the violent scenes was the most
difficult. At one point, she said, she was holding a knife and standing
over an actress portraying Abigail Folger. The actress looked scared to
death. "It's hard not to feel emotional," she said. It took about
a month to completely shake off the character. For weeks after filming
ended, for instance, she would find herself getting ready to leave the
house without shoes (her character was often barefoot). "I had never
gotten into a role like this in my life," she said. 'COME ON DOWN'
Limbrick plans to watch the premiere
Sunday with friends and family at Castiglia's in downtown Fredericksburg.
"Everybody is invited to come on down and watch it with me," she
said. "You just never know what I'm going to do next," she said.
CATHERINE SHARE, BUGLIOSI AMONGST THOSE
INTERVIEWED
Atkins,
Watson, Van Houten and Krenwinkel Accounts Used
Former Manson follower and one of
Manson’s right hand woman Catherine “Gypsy” Share has
been interviewed and participated in the upcoming 2 hour MSNBC documentary produced
by Sirens Media, set to premiere this Sunday, December 14 at 09:00 PM ET.
Vincent Bugliosi and other retired law enforcement officials will be
interviewed as well. Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, Leslie Van Houten and
Patricia Krenwinkel will also be interviewed through archival footage from
old interviews and vintage parole hearings clips. Their accounts of the
murders are used to re-enact the murders and the surrounding facts and life
with Manson. Another Manson associate will also be interviewed but the name
of that person was not given.
From what I have seen, this 2 hour
special is extremely well produced and a lot of research went into it.
Originally, it was set to air on the 40th anniversary of the
murders, next summer but recent documentaries profiling the case have been
the highest rated or the second highest rated episodes of each show/season.
It seems that the Manson Family is all but forgotten and public interest is
at it’s highest.
The Dateline NBC Special on the Manson
Murders “The Devil’s Business” was a ratings success.
They even profiled and showed Screenshots of our brilliant website and we
thank them for that. Most producers contact us for information, asking
where they can find particular photographs, footage, persons or documents.
We do not charge for this kind of assistance but they often give us tips on
when shows will air and tell us when we can share certain information. We
have a nice relationship with many persons within the television news
industry.
Let us think what you think of this new
special since I don’t get MSNBC on my satellite so I will have to
wait a few days for it to arrive in the mail. I will be able to watch that
History Channel episode though since I have my most of the major US and UK
stations on my special satellite receiver. I want to thank you all for your
generosity for recording stuff for me. We are always interested in any
coverage from your local affiliates and cable stations containing any
coverage relating to the Manson Family, their parole hearings, Roman
Polanski or Sharon Tate. Basically anything you consider case related. In
return, we will compensate with whatever footage or any other material you
are interested in. We have stopped selling directly videos and footage from
our archives but access will be given to researchers, media, students and
others wanting to study the Manson family and their trial. Just send a
written request and email it to us and we will try to accommodate you.
All above photographs are from the
upcoming MSNBC special.
Dec
10.
NO POSSIBUILITY OF PAROLE PATRICIA
KRENWINKEL
No
Parole Hearing in Sight as Previously Announced
Last July a reporter from the San
Francisco Chronicle told me that the Board of parole Hearings spokesman
told him that Krenwinkel was scheduled for a hearing on June 20th,
2008 but for some reason she is not on the calendar. I was told earlier
this year by a source close to Krenwinkel that she will not attend any
hearings in the near future. After she was able to go and apologize to the
many victims family members in 2004, she said that it was all she really
wanted to do. She recognizes the fact that her chances are non-existent so
her attitude is basically “Why bother.” The source told me that
she really needed to ask face to face forgiveness to her victims, knowing
that she had no chance of receiving parole.
Krenwinkel has recognized this fact for
many years and resigned herself to a life sentence many years ago. Even
Doris Tate used to say that Pat seemed the most repentant and remorseful of
all the women.She told my source
that she knew her chances were very slim and she didn’t want to put
the survivors through this ordeal needlessly. That shows a genuine remorse
on her part in my opinion. Also the fact Susan Atkins wasn’t even
able to get a compassionate release out of prison in a hospital bed,
literally on her death bed; that probably had something to do with it as
well.
Krenwinkel still works as a janitor in her
housing unit and works full time in the CTS Program where she trains
service dogs for the disabled and just finished a degree in graphic arts.
She has been in a long term relationship with another lifer who reportedly
also has little chance of receiving a parole date.It was not a surprise that Susan Atkins
is dying of brain cancer since cancer is a genetic disease. Both of
Susan’s parents died rather young of cancer and old age does not run
in the Atkins family. Krenwinkel and Van Houten on the other hand have very
good genetic makeup in terms of age and illness. Krenwinkel’s mother
is in her 90’s and her father died at 87 years old in 2004. Van
Houten’s mother died in 2005 at 89 years old I believe and her father
is in his 90’s. This would indicate that both Krenwinkel and Van
Houten will live very long lives and cancer does not run in the families.
Dec
10.
NEW 2 HOUR MSNBC DOCUMENTARY AIRS SUNDAY
Will
You Kill For Me: Charles Manson and His Followers
The new 2 hour
documentary produced by Sirens Media for MSNBC which has been in production
for the last 6 monthswill premiere next Sunday, December 14 at 9:00 PM ET.
It will not be shown in two parts as earlier reported but both hours will
run concurrently. The producers claim the story will be told by jailhouse
interviews with Manson, Tex Watson and Susan Atkins, archival foootage and
their written accounts of the murders and surrounding events.
Here are some
origininal NBC newscasts from the events released by MSNBC. Go to our
YouTube account to view them, click HERE!
Official Description from MSNBC
Will You Kill For Me? Charles Manson and
His Followers [PREMIERE]: Seven murders rocked the nation in August of 1969,
but three months after the brutal killings, evil had a new face. Charles
Manson has been called a monster, a cult leader, even the deadliest man
alive. But when terror struck those two nights in the Hollywood Hills ,
Manson wasn't there. Did he brainwash his followers to kill? Or is the
truth even more frightening? From inside prison walls, interviews with, and
written accounts by Charles Manson, Susan Atkins and Charles
"Tex" Watson reveal what brought the Manson “family”
together and drove them to kill. Find out what really happened inside the
Manson family in their own words.
Other
Screening Times are as follows:
Monday
12/15 at03:00 AM
Sunday
12/21 at07:00 PM
Sunday
12/21 at11:00 PM
Monday
12/22 at03:00 AM
All screenings are listed for east coast
time
Dec
10.
SUSAN ATKINS HEARING FOR COMPASIONATE
RELEASE
Transcribed
Testimony and Photographs
I recently
got the chance to view the video of the proceedings held this summer for the
compasionate releaese hearing for for Susan Atkins where she was denied
release. This was very emotional stuff to watch, arguments on both sides
were very powerful. I was allowed to view the video through one of the news
outlets. I am transcribing some of that testimony. Off most interest was a
letter that was read from Sheila Welsh who was Sharon Tate’s best
friend, a letter from Bugliosi, testimony and letteres from Anthony Dimaria
and Janet Parent, the sister of Steven Parent. Also from the LaBianca family.
There was
also powerful testimony from many of Atkins supporters including her
brother Steve Atkins and his two teenage daughters, Mickie Dickowe who is
an independenet filmmaker who has attended every Manson related parole
hearing, at least for the three women, taping from the media pool for a
documentary that never happened. Her argument was very powerful. There was
also a former cellmate of Atkins named Gloria and Rory White, the guy who
knew Susan when she was travelling with Manson and helped her on three
occasions to flee the Family. After she testified before the Grand Jury and
the Manson Family turned on her, he was given extreme access to visit her
because he was her only friend that was not a member of the Manson Family.
They also visited when she was on death row and had plans to marry at one
point.
A frustrating
point in the proceedings was the argument by Deputy District Attorney
Patrick Sequeira who said Rory White was lying when he said that Susan
helped the prosecution to bring indictments on Manson and his clan. Mr.
Sequeira should read up on the case because this is common knowledge that
Susan’s cooperation with the prosecution was vital to law enforcement
to solve the case and bring indictments against the others.
Some of the
testimony and letters are already transcribed.
MSNBC DOCUMENTARY RAN INTO SOME TROUBLE
WHILE FILMING
Farmers
Refused to let Sirens Media Film their ranch
Click on photos to enlarge.
These are
photographs from their filming in Martinsburg where the surroundings
strongly resemble the Haight Ashbury district in San Francisco. I assume
the first photo will be used as b-roll footage of Charlie and the girls.
The residents there were very cooperative and happpy to have them film inm
their town. Documentaries often use re-enacted scenes with actors mixed
with archival footage to establish certain events and move on the story.
Chuck and Jeanette Miller usually relish
the national media attention that surrounds their legal moonshine operation
in southern Culpeper County. But the corn whiskey farmers want nothing to
do with Charles Manson or a TV crew documenting the 1960s
“Helter-Skelter” serial killer.
The Millers, who run Belmont Farm
Distillery, say a Maryland-based production company was less than
forthright about the macabre nature of its request. When the couple learned
second-hand about the Manson angle, they felt betrayed. “I told them
they are not welcome on the farm and they are not welcome in Culpeper
County,” said Jeanette, a mild-mannered, 62-year-old former
schoolteacher.
This is a
brand new show about Charles Manson and his Family. It premieres on the
History Channel and History Channel HD on Monday , Dec 6 at 6 PM PST.
Official Description
He was the
mastermind of the most notorious murders in U.S. history. He terrified the
world and plunged the city of Los Angeles into a state of paranoia and
fear. He's Charles Manson, and the deserts around Los Angeles were his
home--where he hoped the underground would be his haven. But Manson and his
followers weren't the only dangers lurking beneath the streets of LA. We'll
take you below the most congested avenues of this classic American city,
into the tunnels where corrupt cops secretly ran the city, and where the
largest subway system in the world lies in waste. From earthquakes to UFOs,
Los Angeles--population 9 million plus--has to be ready for
anything. With military bunkers protecting our shores and subterranean
disaster-relief war rooms surveying the next big quake, LA's underground
holds the key to its survival.
UPCOMING
EPISODES
Monday,
Dec 08. 09:00
PM
Tuesday,
Dec 9. 01:00
AM
Thursday,
Dec 11. 10:00
PM
Friday,
Dec 12. 02:00
AM
Monday,
Dec 29. 12:00
PM
Monday,
Dec 29.06:00PM
Dec
1.
BOBBY BEAUSOLEIL PAROLE HEARING DECEMBER
22.
Following
a three year denial in Dec 2005
Robert Kenneth Beausoleil CDC B28302 is
scheduled for his next subsequent parole consideration hearing on December
22, 2008 at 01:00 PM at the Sacramento Cantral Office –Panel A.
Beausoleil is off course incarcerated in a state prison in Oregon. He will
communicate through a video or audio conference from his prison with the
Board of Parole Hearings panel, the DA and his attorney who will be at the
Sacramento Central Office.
I believe this will be his 14th or 15th
parole hearing. At his last hearing in December 2005, he was given a harsh
three year denial because of the art show at the Obscure Claire Gallery in
Los Angeles where his work was promoted along with rare photographs of
Sharon Tate from the set of the Fearless Vampire Killers originally shot by
Roman Polanski. The photographs of Tate were displayed the following day
along with the brutal crime scene photos. Although Bobby’s work was
not shown on the same day, it was promoted on the same flyer. Perhaps this
was something beyond his control but the board felt he was exploiting his
crime anad notoriety to promote his art.
Susan Atkins, the imprisoned Charles
Manson follower hospitalized in Riverside County earlier this year after
she was diagnosed with brain cancer, has been transferred to the Central
California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. Atkins was in stable condition.
She has been at the Chowchilla facility, which has a skilled nursing
facility, since Sept. 24, said California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terry Thornton.
Atkins, 60, failed in July to obtain a
compassionate release that could have allowed her to die outside prison.
The state Board of Parole in July declined to refer the issue to Atkins'
sentencing court after hearing about two dozen witnesses, including
relatives of both Atkins and her victims. A Los Angeles County judge denied
a similar petition about a week later. Atkins' doctors and prison officials
had recommended the release. One of her attorneys said Atkins' condition
was such that even if she obtained the release, it was unlikely she would
leave her hospital room.
In mid-July, it was estimated that
Atkins' medical care had cost the state $1.15 million. Additionally,
guarding her had cost $308,000, according to the state Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation. Atkins is California's longest-serving
female prisoner. She spent decades incarcerated at the California
Institution for Women in Chino. She was hospitalized March 18 at the
Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley, her attorney,
Eric Lampel, said in July. He said a tumor had been removed from her brain,
but doctors could not get all of it. At the time, she was diagnosed with
only two or three months to live.
