![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceebeegeeSusan Atkins, one of the Manson girls and the murderer of Sharon Tate and several others, died last week. A few weeks ago she had a final hearing in front of the parole board, where her husband and lawyer argued for a "compassionate release" because she was so close to death (she was dying of brain cancer). Vincent Bugliosi supported this, saying the mercy would be "minimal" since she was so close to death and that it would also save the state money. The family members of her victims (including Tate family members) testified against release, saying "It's important that she die in incarceration." Generally on this, I would punt to the victims' families--if they can find that mercy in them, that's wonderful, but I don't think Atkins should've expected it. Frankly the mercy is that she lived that long, since she'd originally been sentenced to death. She got to enjoy an additional 37 years (the death penalty was overturned in California in 1972) that the victims did not. She apparently discovered religion in prison and from all accounts, it was genuine and she did some very good works there and completely renounced Manson and his teachings (something Squeaky Fromme never did). But still. What Atkins did was really, unbelievably dreadful. Read about Sharon Tate's last moments sometime, it is heartbreaking. The other victims' stories are so sad as well--Gary Hinman was a Ph.D. candidate in music. He was trying to help the "family." It's all such a waste, such a pointless waste. I'm not sure she could ever pay her debt to society completely.
And Mackenzie Phillips--oh my God, what a story. That woman is a true casualty of the '60s. I was kind of angry reading some comments on FB when this story broke last week--some were commenting on how "she has a book coming out," implying the timing was suspicious. Um, the book IS ABOUT THE INCEST. Yes, of course this is why she's talking about it now! Even worse, some were suggesting she was making it up. How cynical do you have to be to believe that? Do you honestly think someone would LIE about something as horrible as your own father raping you for 10 years--just to sell a book? Jesus. There are either two possibilities--it's not true, in which case she's delusional, or it's true. Personally I favor the latter, since her sister Chynna said that Mackenzie had confided in her years ago. But the whole thing is just awful. I think she's very brave to write about this.
And finally--yay, they finally caught child rapist Roman Polanski! So, so happy! Come and serve your time for giving a thirteen year old girl quaaludes and champagne, raping her vaginally and anally, and then threatening her not to tell. LOVE. IT.
And Mackenzie Phillips--oh my God, what a story. That woman is a true casualty of the '60s. I was kind of angry reading some comments on FB when this story broke last week--some were commenting on how "she has a book coming out," implying the timing was suspicious. Um, the book IS ABOUT THE INCEST. Yes, of course this is why she's talking about it now! Even worse, some were suggesting she was making it up. How cynical do you have to be to believe that? Do you honestly think someone would LIE about something as horrible as your own father raping you for 10 years--just to sell a book? Jesus. There are either two possibilities--it's not true, in which case she's delusional, or it's true. Personally I favor the latter, since her sister Chynna said that Mackenzie had confided in her years ago. But the whole thing is just awful. I think she's very brave to write about this.
And finally--yay, they finally caught child rapist Roman Polanski! So, so happy! Come and serve your time for giving a thirteen year old girl quaaludes and champagne, raping her vaginally and anally, and then threatening her not to tell. LOVE. IT.
