Susan Atkins is dying of brain cancer in a California prison.
40 years ago, Atkins was one of the followers of Charles Manson who murdered Sharon Tate and murdered actress Sharon Tate and music teacher Gary Hinman. She was arrested in 1969, and has been in prison ever since.
In 1974, Susan became a born-again Christian, and since then, she has been described as a "model prisoner."
Now, she is dying of brain cancer. She has had her left left amputated and is paralysed on her right side.
Her doctors requested compassionate leave for her because of her condition. But the Parole Board denied it.
There is no doubt whatsoever that what Susan Atkins did 40 years ago under Manson's control was a horrible, horrible crime. But my question is this:
What possible good is it doing to keep her in prison now? She has lived her entire adult life in prison and she certainly cannot commit any crime in her present condition. What purpose does it serve not to allow this woman to die outside of prison? (She married one of her attorneys in the 80's.)
If Christians believe, as they say they do, that a person can be forgiven of any sin, and she has been a Christian for 34 years, does she not deserve this tiny bit of mercy?
If she were not completely disabled and dying, I would not think she should be let out of prison. But this just seems unnecessary cruelty to me in her condition.
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Comments: 25
i'm sort of conflicted by this, i don't think she should have freedom per se, yet she should still be with her family in her final hours.
What freedom ??? any of you take care of a person in her condition ?? She is now in the worst prison of all trapped in a dieing body !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Her decaying body and probably mind because of the brain cancer are additional sources of punishment but to expect her to be released when she helped kill innocent people including an unborn child, she is suffering enough and will soon be out of her body. But, she should not be allowed to be released!
I agree with David.
As for weather she should have been released, again in my opinion, no. I may have been young when these crimes were committed, but I remember and understood the nature of this horrific crime. The fact she found religion in the prison system, is all well and good, but in most cases it is nothing, more than a guilty consious, and a way to redeem themselves, in their mind. It does not take away from the act, itself. There is still a price to pay. And the justice system decided that price years ago.