Inside Detective Magazine, March 1970

Thanks, Jim!

Blurred Lines - The Legacy of Charles Manson

"Look down at me and you see a fool. Look up at me and you see a God. Look straight at me and you see yourself"

        - Charles Manson

"Carve your name on hearts not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others, and the stories they share about you."

       - Shannon Adler 


Today I am floating off an island in the Southern Florida Keys, watching the sunset thinking about life and things like that. I am happily cruising along without much of a care in the world, and then a friend of mine walks over and asks me if I am still reading about Manson. I just laugh, and he knows the answer. He kinda shakes his head, and asks if I will ever outgrow it? As I sip on an icy cold Coors-light, I start wondering about that myself. How and when will this subject come to an end for me? As sure as the Sun is about to touch the water, Charlie is going to come to the final end of his trip. Most likely, sooner rather than later. It makes me start to wonder about what the final legacy of Charles Manson will ultimately be? I ask my friend what the name Manson means to him and he answers, "Crazy cult killer". I guess that is the answer most people give. But, to me it just does not tell the whole story. Manson will mean much more to that when all is said and done. All of a sudden, today as I watch the sunset over Key West, I feel the urge to reflect on what it all might mean when Charlie is no longer around to be the subject of our discussion.

First a quick look at who, and what, Charlie will leave behind.

ATWA: Star, and Greywolf and those who still fall under the category of Believers. ATWA warriors. These are the ones I am most curious about? What will a young lady like Star do with the rest of her life after Charlie is gone? Does she really spend the rest of her life talking about a Man she really only ever met behind bars as if he was an environmental savior? This group includes those who are later life friends of Manson. Confidants, and those who have corresponded through mail and calls over the years. How will they move on once their motivator and inspiration is no longer around giving them small pieces of soundbites, or a few sentences to unscramble for hidden meaning? In any case, there will be a Non-Profit Organization registered in California which Manson inspired, as well as many people who consider him a friend, who will carry on his name and causes.

 The Family: Secret network of remaining family members loyal to Charlie to this day. We do not need to go into names. Suffice to say, a few remain loyal to this day. A life of dedication to this man has been a long, and costly road. Some have made many sacrifices. Some have gone to great lengths to remain as close as possible, even after all of these years. They get very little back in return with the exception of a chance to communicate with Manson. What to do, when decisions about life can be made without the considerations of how it affects the relationship with a permanently incarcerated man. How are they going to handle the first few weeks, and months, in 50 some odd years without this man they have cared for this long? Charlie will leave behind some people who know him personally and care for him deeply.

The Children: From the ones we know exist to the ones who may exist, and including those such as Matthew Roberts who think they exist. There will be those who aspire to the gene and those in possession of the gene. His real children will be the real legacy of Charles Manson. In any case, I hope they all find some peace on their own terms. Its a tough legacy to live with. We all want to love our dads.

Media: For sure, there will be a renewed round of interest in Manson and the TLB case after Charlie passes on to teach the children in his next life. There are still to this day movies, TV specials, documentaries, and books being developed about Charlie and his Family. Does that ever end? Probably as not as long as the next group is still interested. That brings me to.....

The Curious: Us lol. The Bloggers,researchers, TLB'ers. The people all over the country who go to various websites and media outlets to study and learn about this Man and what his group of friends were into. Will the end of Charlie be the end of this community? Will we ever be satisfied that either we know all there is to know, or that the rest we will just never find out? Or does the lust for more go on forever? How long will the public interest in Manson continue after there is no more Manson? My guess is the public curiosity over those specific crimes will be another lasting legacy of Charles Manson.

The Name: The word Manson in itself is iconic. It is my guess for the rest of my living days, at least, people will never ask "Manson who?" The name is forever etched into the American psyche. Stories will get distorted, and legends will grow greater, with time. However, the Name Manson will forever be a one word symbol of Evil and Horror. 

The Music: Of course there are the albums (Family Jams and Lie being my favorites) Then there are the songs and covers. From the Lemonheads to GNR, bands have been covering Charlies songs for years. Never Learn Not Love, released by the Beach Boys, as we know, was a Manson original. Did you know the actor Crispin Glover ( "Back to the Future"- and he played Warhol in "The Doors" movie) once released an album in the 80's and covered "I'll never say never to always"? And of course, there are Trent Reznor and Marylin Manson- who in my opinion took it too far, but who have both earned my respect over the years nonetheless. Charlie's Musical legacy is quite interesting in itself.

The Legend: Part of the lasting legacy of Manson will be the stories of the Guru on the rock under the stars at night  preaching to his children, then leading them in music and song, only to culminate the night in fantastical drug fueled orgy's. Isn't that the mental image we all paint of the times around Spahn in the glory days? There will always be a segment of the public who remembers Charlie for the legendary tales of Sex, drugs, and Rock and roll. The peace and love element of the 60's in all its glory, before things took a turn in another direction.

The Betrayed:  Look. For the purpose of this post, I will not argue the motive. But, I have read, watched, or listened to almost all of the parole hearings for over 30 years. When Charlie goes, there will be a few people in the clink who will feel like they lost their life to a lie. I will also not argue if they have valid points or not. I read, watched, and heard them say it over and over. They feel humiliatingly duped. When Manson passes on, a few people will wonder how in the world they gave away all of these years for him. What will be the legacy of Charles Manson To Patricia Krenwinkle, Bruce Davis, or Leslie Van Houten? 

P.S.- I did not include Tex Watson. If not for Charlie it would be Tex, deservedly, who would have the life-long label of Maniac Killer. Tex is very fortunate that the world directs their hate and fear at Manson, because Tex scares me as much as any jackass walking the planet. He is the much worse maniac than Charlie in my opinion. Tex just was smart enough to close his mouth and clean up afterwards. 

The Questions: Unless Charlie has a come to Jesus moment, it seems he is not going to have that sit down conversation where he coherently lays out for us what really went down. Another of the great legacies Manson will leave behind is the unsolved questions. Are there any more bodies out in the desert? Why those two houses? Who else really was involved with the Family and what were the connections? Charlie will have the last laugh in the sense he will leave a lot of us all chasing his story for answers long after he is around to offer any.

The Destruction and Carnage: Sorry Charlie this comes with the baggage as well. Fair or not, deserved or not. This is not a debatable issue as far as legacy. You don't get to chose your own. You can help create it. Which is appropriate in this case, because Charlie did- at least- that. Manson will be remembered, as well, for the pain, and anguish and death brought upon quite a few people. Part of the Manson legacy will be fear and Evil. To many- this will be Manson's ultimate and lasting legacy.

So, there will be a few things Charlie leaves the world when he moves on to his next trip. The public fascination will most likely endure for some time. In the eyes of the public he will always be the ultimate boogeyman. Manson will be remembered by most for Helter Skelter. Thanks to a best selling book, and he and his "Families" willingness to act out exactly the type of sub-human behavior that book described, Charlie will go down in most minds a mind controlling guru of young hippies. Manson and crew put on a public show over the course of that trial which will never be forgotten by anyone who saw, read, or heard about it. Charlie can thank himself for his own public legacy. Fair or not, He gave the people all they needed to see, and believe, that every word Bugs told them must have been true. It will take a revelation of epic proportions to change the public perception of Charlie Manson. And, Charlie is probably the last person who can provide it, and does not seem interested in the slightest in doing so. Which means that once he is gone there will be no one left to change what is certainly the prevailing idea of most people in the public: Charles Manson is the face of Evil.

As to a final thought about what it all means to me....

Blurred lines. Cheesy pop song playing on the boat I'm floating on. Hey, I hang with all kinds of people lol. But, the title is very appropriate to me. This subject has blurred many lines for me. And as I sit here getting super close to hammered at sea, I can imagine Charlie using similar lyrics to lure his young loves in lol Dancing around them and singing...

If you can't hear, what I'm trying to say
If you can't read, from the same page
Maybe I'm going deaf
Maybe I'm going blind
Maybe I'm out of my mind

OK, now he was close
Tried to domesticate you
But you're an animal
Baby, it's in your nature
Just let me liberate you
You don't need no papers
That man is not your mate
And that's why I'm going to take you 
cause your a  Good girl....

Ok. I am really high lol What are you going to do????

I started studying this case as a hobby almost 10 years ago. It amazes me how far It has gone for me personally. I never thought that anyone would ever know who I am, let alone that someday I would be sitting side by side with people who sit side by side with Charlie Manson himself. At some point my personal line started to blur. Don't get me wrong. It has provided some thrills. I have met some great people along the way. I have seen some amazing places like Spahn and Barker Ranches. I walked to the gate at Cielo, and stood at the bottom of the driveway at Waverly. Ate a terrible burrito at El Coyote, but met some legends in the process. However, whereas I question the thinking of those who take their personal relationship with Manson too far, I have to ask myself when I have crossed my own personal line with the TLB case as well? When did the line between reading on internet about a subject, and getting personally involved get so blurry? Charlie and his "Family" are like that house on the other side of town where the "crazy" family lived my mom warned me to stay away from when I was a kid. Over the years, my curiosity kept making me inch closer and closer. Emboldened each time I take another step nearer to the fire without getting burned. At some point you either wind up getting caught up in the flames, or you go up in flames. But, you pay either way. Yet, I still keep pushing forward. Charlie both scares me, and makes me scared of myself. I never thought I could do some of the things I have done in the name of getting closer to all of this madness. But the line has blurred to me. And, I ponder, if Charlie has blurred the lines for me, what of those who have gone so much further, and gotten so much closer?

That leaves me with this: What will be the legacy of Charles Manson to me?

I guess that the closest to an answer I could offer is that the Legacy of Charles Manson to me will be The influence Charles Manson has had on the people around him. From those he met and stayed with through his life, to those he harmed, to those who sought him out after his imprisonment, to those of us who feel compelled to study him so closely to this day. Good, bad, or ugly, it seems that Charlie makes a strong impression on every path he crosses. He has been the cause for many people to blur the lines of good and bad, and right and wrong, for a variety of reasons and to different extremes. I wont deny- Charlie has a strange pull. I have no doubt as disgusted as he must be with the whole thing by this point, it still brings a smile to his face when he considers how so many people still scoot a little closer to listen, and hang on to, his latest words. He must get some small kick out of the fact that so many are still hoping he will finally say something to make no sense, turn into some kind of sense we can understand.

My guess he is will never give us that final peace/piece lol. I think when his time comes, he will simply, quietly, head off into the sunset leaving us to sort it out for ourselves. And although I am no fan of  Charlie Manson, I can certainly dig that....

- Your Favorite Saint

The Last of the Manson Girls - NEW Trailer

The Manson Trial In Art News

The Summer 2016 issue of Art News magazine is dedicated as a "Crime Issue" and  includes an article entitled "Trial & Image" by Phoebe Hoban about the artists who make illustrations for news outlets during criminal trials. 

One of the artists mentioned, Bill Robles, is responsible for what the article calls "perhaps one of the 20th Century's best-known court images," namely Robles' sketch of Charles Manson leaping over the defense table to attack Judge Charles Older with a pencil after Older refused to let Manson ask questions of a prosecution witness whom the defense lawyers had declined to cross-examine.

"Robles' famous Manson lunge is an exciting blur 

of motion rather than a minutely detailed drawing."

The article also gives some space for Robles to reminisce about his time at the Manson trial:

Robles' recollections are interesting to any student of the Manson case, but I was surprised by his claim that Manson's co-defendants "would sometimes stand up and say 'Heil Hitler.'

Heil Hitler?  I've read a lot about the Manson trial, but I don't recollect ever hearing that the girls stood up and said that. Can anyone direct me to a source that corroborates Robles' memory?  

Or did Robles misremember? 

(Or was the author of the article just sloppy in recording whatever it was Robles said that the girls said?)

Tom O'Neill Interview on the Tex Tapes

This interview has been made available to MansonBlog readers by the copyright holder (not the interviewee or the interviewer).

The participants are the interviewee (Tom O'Neill) and the interviewer (Catscradle77), and has been edited for length and continuity.

The subject is the Tex Tapes. The date is October 4, 2014. For one reason or another this interview has been suppressed until now.

Enjoy.

Farmersville/Copeville TX

I will be passing through the Farmersville/Copeville TX area (Watson's childhood stomping grounds) on Tuesday Oct 11 to take a few pics and maybe chat with some of the locals. If any readers are within driving distance and would like to meet me there shoot me an email.

The Unhappy Odyssey of Linda Kasabian

As we all know Linda Kasabian was born Linda Darlene Drouin on June 21, 1949. But what happened before and after that.

Before Tate-LaBianca

She attended Milford High School in Milford, New Hampshire in 1964 and 1965. After her sophomore year she dropped out to marry Robert Moses Peaslee.

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1. 1964 Yearbook -  Girls Basketball

L. Drouin is pictured as a member of the freshman girls’ basketball team.

Unfortunately, back in 1964 the Freshman Class did not get a class picture in the yearbook.

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2. 1965 Yearbook Class

I am not sure where Linda is in this picture from 1965, her sophomore year. I suspect Linda is the young woman indicated by the arrow I added. Unfortunately, they also did not provide names with their class shots in Milton in 1965.

At some point during 1964-65 Linda began dating a young man named Robert Moses Peaslee (Class of 1964).

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3. 1964 Yearbook - Marriage to Robert Peaslee

Peaslee appears to have been a bit of a wild child wracking up several traffic citations and listing as his contribution to the ‘Senior Will’ in the 1964 yearbook: “Robert Peaslee leaves to the surprise of the students, the relief of the teachers and with the luck of the Irish.”

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4.  1965 Car Accident

Linda married Robert Peaslee on August 14, 1965 but not before she and her fiancé were involved in a fairly serious car accident on July 2, 1965.

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5. 1965 Peaslee Marriage

This is a record of the marriage from The Town of Milford, New Hampshire, Annual Report of 1965. The marriage date is recorded as August 14, 1965

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6.  1966 Peaslee Divorce

The Peaslee/Drouin marriage didn’t last very long. By January 1966 the couple had divorced. The article refers to the court’s last ‘term’ and was written in May of 1966. However, if a ‘term’ is the same in New Hampshire as what I am familiar with she was actually divorced in 1965.

Peaslee sued and was granted a divorce claiming that his wife’s conduct was such as to “endanger seriously his physical and mental health” according to an article written in 1976 (see, The Unhappy Odyssey of Linda Kasabian, below). Peaslee’s case was uncontested but supported by the testimony of one Dr. Raymond P. Galloway a local physician. This is interesting as the allegation is not the typical ‘fault based’ mental and physical cruelty allegation I am familiar with from those days.

In the small town of Milford (pop: 5,000) this may have been a minor scandal.  Linda moved shortly after to live with her father in Florida.

Peaslee went on to have several run-ins with the law. He pled guilty to eluding a police officer in 1966 and in 1967 was convicted of public intoxication and assaulting a state police officer. He served a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1969 where he was wounded and passed away in 2002.

Linda Drouin returned to New Hampshire after a few months in Florida but didn’t stay. She moved to Boston sometime prior to April 1967.

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7. 1967 Boston Arrest

While her name is misspelled, Linda Drowing is Linda.

On April 14, 1967 Linda Drouin was arrested in a narcotics raid conducted by state and federal law enforcement in Boston. This appears to be a fairly big bust involving state and federal authorities and $20,000 worth of LSD and pot.  Robert Kasabian was not involved.

She was charged with ‘being present where narcotics are used'. Linda was 17 and based upon other cases I looked at before finding hers it appears to have been common for the authorities in 1967 to release female, juvenile offenders to their parents after arrest. Reading between the lines a bit that is what happened with Linda and she returned again to Milford dodging her first bullet.

Linda’s mother states that Robert Kasabian continued to pursue her daughter after she returned to Milford following her arrest in April 1967 (see, What Linda’s Mother Learned).  Mom clearly was not a fan of Kasabian and blames him for her daughter’s ‘downfall’.

At some point between April and September, 1967 Linda Drouin returned to Boston and Linda got pregnant.

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8. 1967 Kasabian Marriage

On September 20, 1967 she married Robert Kasabian.  She listed as her address at the time of the ceremony the American Psychedelic Circus (commune). (See, Odyssey [Exhibit 14, below] which also has a wedding picture).

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9. 1968 Tonya Birth

‘Tonya’ Kasabian was born less then nine month’s later in Los Angeles on March 3, 1968. This places Linda in LA during the timeframe February-April (?) 1968. It might be interesting to see what else happened on the Manson timeline during this time - Harold True?

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10. 1969 Kasabian - No License

By May 1969 Linda had again returned to Milford where she had an intriguing run-in with the law.

On May 2, 1969 Linda pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license. Given this event occurred a little over two months before she allegedly was chosen to accompany Watson et al on two nights of murder solely because she had a valid driver’s license it would be interesting to know which version of the offense was involved here.

It could either be she didn’t have a license with her when asked to present one and later produced it or it could mean she simply didn’t have a valid drivers’ license at all.  All I have been able to determine is that both resulted in fines in New Hampshire in 1969 and I have not been able to find the fine schedule.

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11. 1969 Not Gonna Talk

Here’s one I threw in just to challenge the ‘I was always going to testified anyway’ claim. She wasn’t on December 4, 1969.

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12. 1970 Book Plans

Linda intended to write a book after the trial. While not stated here Joan Didion was going to be the author. At Vincent Bugliosi’s request Ms. Didion bought Kasabian several dresses for the trial and likely had her change her hairstyle.

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13. 1970 Mom’s Story

Written by Boston Globe reporter James Stack this series is Ms. Joyce Byrd’s story about her daughter. Stack wrote the piece as if it were written by Kasabian’s mom and even gave her the author credit.

It has some interesting information like mom noting Linda wanted to lose weight so she started taking three diet pills (speed) instead of the prescribed one to lose three times as much weight. Sure she did.

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After

After her testimony ended Linda Kasabian gave a memorable press conference where she stated her intention to ‘move to the wilderness’, ‘find God’ and raise her children. Now let’s take a look at what really happened.

14. 1976 Odyssey

After Helter Skelter came out James Stack (author of mom’s story) tried to do a follow-up story about Kasabian and traveled to Milford for that purpose.

By 1976 Robert Kasabian is described as a ‘Jesus Freak’, which might explain the name change to ‘Christian’.

The Unhappy Odyssey of Linda Kasabian provides some interesting insights into the real Linda Kasabian.

A few quotes:

“Kasabian is a women with a capacity for mysterious shifts of moods and a talent for controlling them. She can be elated one minute, brooding the next, gay in the morning and unlaughing tomorrow.

She can be disarmingly sweet to those whose friendship or favor she seeks. She can be querulous, bitter and suspicious of those she no longer has use of.”

*****

“Kasabian is also thoroughly intolerant of newsmen, and hostile to the point of addressing them as “pigs,” generally with a colorful adjective or two.”

*****

“Continued Globe efforts to report her story drew out another side of Kasabian’s personality.

She lunged at a photographer who had taken her picture as she emerged from the Milford District Court, where she appeared in connection with three traffic violations. She spat on the hood of the cameraman’s car, then charged at him, spewing out a torrent of abusive language.

Kasabian then turned to a Globe reporter and shouted obscenities so shocking as to leave those in a small ring of onlookers in slackjawed disbelief.”

So much for the 'innocent hippy chick’.

This same article discusses the watch placed on Kasabian when President Ford came to New Hampshire in 1976.

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15. 1976 Bonfire

She was arrested for an incident involving her efforts with others to prevent firemen from putting out a bonfire. The charges were reduced from ‘inciting a riot’ and the court appears to want the whole thing to go away.

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16. 1982 Indecent Exposure

This is a fun one: in 1982 she was arrested for flashing a motorcycle rally on a public street.

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17. 1987 DUII

In 1987 she was arrested under the name Linda Chiochios in Florida near Cape Canaveral at 4:00 a.m. for DUII.

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18. 1997 Possession

And in 1997 she and her daughter Quanu were arrested for possession of a controlled substance (meth) in Tacoma, Washington. The Pierce County court website can be used to pull up several of her family members and their friends. Kasabian, still Chiochios, successfully completed drug classes and her charges were dismissed.

The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten - What is Fair Versus What is Right

                    

  "Today, at the age 51, after 3 trials and with no parole in sight, Leslie has become a remarkable survivor of a living nightmare. This work presents the first in- depth look at how this "girl next door" became one of Manson's "girls". It also tell's of Karlene Faith's 30 year relationship with Leslie, whom she met while living in prison. To everyone who encountered Leslie - including prison staff, and television journalists, she was not the demon typically portrayed by the media, but rather a gentle, generous spirit who mourned her victims."

      - Excerpt from Amazon page for The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten- Life Beyond The Cult


"I went back to the bedroom and told Leslie to help Katie stab the woman, even though it was obvious Rosemary Labianca was already dead. Leslie obeyed me, striking mostly on the exposed buttocks, but with none of the enthusiasm Katie showed."

     - Tex Watson in "Will you die for me" 


"And in the transcripts you do have, "81", "Time is important in this case. I think time its important. I think she should be observed for a longer time. She's going down the right path. And I've said to other Boards, my position with Ms. Van Houten is different than with the other members of the Family. I said that sometime I feel Ms. Van Houten should be paroled, but I don't think today is the day", 1981. And then he goes on and says in "82" again, "This is not to say at some future time I wouldn't concur on a parole date. Time is the important factor in her case"

      -  Stephen Kay's words being read back by Leslie's attorney at her 2013 Parole Hearing ( Thanks Cielodrive)




Today I take a closer look at the Prison life, and the chances for release, of Leslie Van Houten.  I will try to put together a fair, complete picture of her time behind bars and her suitability for parole. Frankly, I feel there is no chance that the Governor gives her a pass after denying Bruce several times, and shutting down Susan Atkins- who couldn't even lift her head up or stay awake, during her compassionate release hearing. But, in a political year like this, and with pressure on the prison systems to recede the current levels- ya just never know. Besides, the purpose of this post is to decide what is fair versus what is right- not what is going to happen. Don't we all know those aren't always the same things?  Also, Some of you will be relieved to know that I am not going to mention the commitment offense in any detail at all. I am just going to focus on Leslie's time after she was incarcerated, and what has transpired since. Everyone who has read my comments and posts understands how I feel about the crimes, and the behavior those who committed them demonstrated immediately after. It was unforgivable to me. But the United States Justice and Prison Systems guidelines are not up to me. There are rules, and a process. For the purpose of this excersize we are going to take a look at the facts only of her prison record. I will eliminate the Manson mystique from the realities of our system, and simply review how Leslie has navigated it. I just want to try and answer one simple question. Does LULU deserve to walk?

I once wrote a post asking people to consider the value of life along with the value of a life sentence.  My mind never wanders far from the Labiancas. Justice belongs to them. Nothing LULU has gone through, or suffered is anything at all compared to what she contributed to causing them. I am not going to look at this as if Leslie is "owed" anything. I simply ask:  has she paid her dues to society and is she worthy of release based on our system, and her record? That is what I am trying to determine today.

First a few words about Karlene Faith's book for those of you smart enough to not have wasted the time or money. This book was written from a very strong feminist viewpoint. It is heavily slanted to putting a lot of blame on men, and Charlie in particular. He is referred to as a GURU often. Faith herself, and a couple of others she quotes, use the term " brainwashing" to explain what happened to LULU repeatedly. She goes into great detail about the times Leslie grew up in and how she was "over-socialized to be only feminine". Faith also goes into boring detail about how eastern philosophies were very common and why many young women sought out others for inspiration, indicating in no way was Leslie different from thousands of other girls her age. In other words, she makes excuses for all the wacky shit LULU was into by saying it was "The Times". However, I am quite sure that not every young teenager got pregnant at such a young age, nor replied to swingers ad's. Lulu had a wild streak in her always, but that stuff gets glossed over. By the way. All these years Leslie and her supporters keep trying to paint this picture of the wild and crazy times LULU grew up in as if she had no choice but to turn to drugs and sex. Listen what Lois Smaldino ( Rosemary and Leno's oldest nephew) said about that: ( excerpt from 2013 Parole Hearing transcript I borrowed from cielodrive.com)

" I grew up in the same area within 3 miles. I was- I lived in Arcadia, while she lived in, ya know, Monrovia, at about the same time. I had just gotten married and started having my family while all this was going on. And I had a sister about the same age. And I just- You know that program on TV called Happy Days? That is what it was like living in that area. We used to go to Gwen's drive- in, you know and go to the drive-in movies, play sports, and it was nothing like what is being described here this drug and pot culture. Maybe later in the 70's, but at that point in time that just was not the environment in that community".

Karlene is a strong advocate who repeats throughout this book what a terrific person Leslie is who just made one bad mistake. This is exactly the argument I would make for someone who got drunk and killed someone in a DUI, or a teenager who was playing a joke or prank that went terribly wrong. It just doesn't work for me in the case of a person who offers to go kill someone, and then laughs about it after. There are probably more deserving people of Karlene's passion.

But like the Blues Travelers sing, "There is just no accounting for some peoples taste".

 Faith taught in a couple of Prisons before getting to meet LULU at California Institute For Woman, and she had some hesitation at first. She reached out to a peer and eventually they decided LULU was this incredible person who was just the victim of bad circumstances, times, and people. As for the murders- that was all Charlies fault. She feels, and expresses, tremendous sympathy to all of the girls for getting caught up in Charlies web. She is absolutely convinced Charlie brainwashed them all and ordered the murders. The rest of the book is really a celebration of how Leslie was able to "Break herself Free" of Charlie's hold over her.  She gives all the required details about LULU's prison record, and I will cover those specifics later. She has great reasons for the one or two slip-ups LULU has made, but in fairness, there have only been a couple. Actually, Leslie really did an amazing job of staying clear of any trouble and taking advantage of multiple programs and educational opportunities. It is commendable how well she adjusted and adapted. Faith really pays lip service to the victims families in an obligatory sort of manner. Frankly, however, she really spends 3/4 of the book trying to minimize Leslie's responsibility for her, while pointing out how much responsibility Leslie tries to take at the same time. She really tries to have it both ways. She is a very smart lady too. If you are looking for an argument to support Leslie, this is the most reasoned and well thought out I have ever seen. But its just too much fluff. She just never stops pouring on what a strong, brave, person Leslie is. How determined and resilient she is, as if Leslie has actually been a long suffering victim herself.  I am just not so sure that's an appropriate place to go in Leslie's situation.  The one or two interesting tidbits about this book were early. It was interesting to see how there was no death row for woman at the time, so they had to build one. The interaction between the three of them was something I always wondered about. LULU and Katie stuck close and Susan was considered the snitch. That is another thing- LULU starting talking almost about the same time Susan did, but LULU never took any heat for snitching? Anyway, you do learn in this book that Katie was the last one to let go of Charlie. She still had his pictures up into the early 70's. Also after the Hawthorne Shoot-out, Mary and Gypsy were both put in the special unit with the other 3, so for a few of the years Susan, LULU, and Katie were coming off the Charlie trip- they had these two living with them who were still deep into it. Apparently tired of listening to Gypsy at one point, Leslie told Patt- "I am not into this anymore. I have changed." That was sort of an interesting dynamic. She predictably brags about what an amazing person LULU was while out on bail between trials and gives a nice description of Leslie at the ocean with the wind in her face. She brags about a time  when (with the help of the guards who all loved them) she snuck Banana Splits into the Girls. The Bill Cywin incident is blown off with one paragraph boiling down - not to bad judgement- but a simple need for sex. ( Like we have no idea of the bad judgement people can show due to the simple need for sex lol) The book is for the most part, an attempt to make Leslie sound like a person who really was a terrible victim in many ways. It was not fair or impartial by any means. It was a LULU character remake job and she fought really hard to give you an educated, reasonable argument as to why Leslie should be forgiven, and understood. Friends for Leslie Van Houten were at their peak when this book was written, so she spends some time gloating about that as well. Karlene Faith has written many books on woman and their incarceration. She is also a leading feminist. In my opinion- in her eyes- the woman is never wrong no matter what. The system and the dominate male culture are the blame for anything any of these woman do. She is also a scholar and very bright woman who knows much more about the subject than me. I am just saying- you walk away from reading this feeling like it is as much a sales job promoting LULU as it is a fair assessment of her suitability to be free. Faith argues almost equally that Leslie has earned her freedom, and that it was really not even her fault in the first place. Also, many years have passed since this book was written. The story was being told while still fluid. Add another 15 years, or so, to the legitimate arguments Faith made, as far as the "matrix" for similar crimes, and excellent record and reviews Leslie kept getting. That is where the Leslie argument picks up steam in my opinion...

"I have a really good friend who was convicted of killing two people when she was 19 years old on a horrible night of 1969 cult madness. Her name is Leslie Van Houten and I think you would like her much as I do. She was one of those notorious "Manson Girls" who shaved their heads, carved x's into their foreheads, and laughed, joked and sang their way through the courthouse straight to death row without the slightest trace of remorse 40 years ago. Leslie is hardly a "Manson Girl" today. Sixty years old, she looks back on her involvement at the Labianca murders, in utter horror, shame and guilt, and takes full responsibility for her crimes. I think its time to parole her".

       - John Waters




March 29, 1071- Leslie convicted of murder and sentenced to Death. At the time the youngest woman ever condemned to death row in California. No Death row for woman exists so one is built at CIW.

1972- California Supreme Court People Versus Anderson abolishes Death penalty. Leslie's sentence commuted to Life in Prison which makes her eligible for parole after 7 years.

1974- Helter Skelter is published and author Vincent Bugliosi writes he expects all 3 girls to be released after 15 to 20 years.

1977- Leslie granted a retrial due to the failure to declare mistrial when her attorney died. Jury cannot agree on verdict. This leads to mistrial.

March 78- third trial ( allowed out on bond for several months prior to and during trial) Convicted and sentenced to life with possibility of parole -which the prosecutor in that trial said she would one day be suitable for...

And that my friends is where the Circus starts. The parole hearings begin. Throughout the coming years Leslie would be piling up considerable accomplishments behind bars. Concurrently, there would be a long series of parole hearings first behind the scenes, and then in front of cameras, which would play out over the course of the next 30 years. And this is where we get to meet three people who will play a MAJOR role in the Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten.

Doris Tate, Stephen Kay, and Bill Nelson. Or, As I like to call them: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly....

 Now I would bet you that when LULU was giggling her way through the first trial, she had no idea that these three people even existed. But, they would end up being maybe the most influential people in her adult life. First of all, Doris found out about these "Friends of Leslie Van Houten" who were gathering signatures for her parole hearings one particular time when it seemed Leslie was very close. So,  Doris raised thousands of signatures against the release to match the hundred or so LULU had for her release. Doris helped push prop 8 through which allowed for the victims impact statements. This has allowed family members through the years to keep the pain real for the parole board. Leslie now had a group of people to make the board feel sympathy no matter how much time passed. Also- no more sex in the clink thanks to Doris. Lulu had been taking advantage of that before it was stopped. Secondarily, Stephen Kay would be the representative from the DA's office at the majority of Leslie's hearings as well as the prosecutor who tried her in the second and third trials after Bug's retired. Kay would not accept a reasonable plea. Instead, he attached the bogus robbery charge which has caused Leslie to stay in much longer than she may have otherwise. She, and the rest of the family, would come to detest this man. Although they say at the beginning of each parole hearing that they are going to accept the findings of the court and are not going to retry the case, Kay consistently recreates the facts and details to maximize the participation of each person whose hearing he is attending. He has flat out lied a couple of times at these hearings. Finally, Bill Nelson. He brought the cameras and media. Now the heat was back on. no more waiting for the years to slowly pass until it becomes an afterthought. Now the spotlight is back on those "Crazy Manson People". Lulu actually walked out of her 1990 parole hearing to protest his presence. She doesn't get many shots, so to forfeit one was a huge sacrifice in my opinion. Before it became obvious he was as much of a nut-job  as some of the Family members, Nelson had an alliance with Doris for a time. Leslie had to see the door which was once slowly opening, was starting to move back in the other direction once these three came into the picture. If you read all of the parole hearing transcripts over the years, you will see that LULU was actually getting really close, for a time, to being paroled. In one hearing almost 20 years ago, she was given her smallest ever denial- one year. The Parole Board told her to take it as a sign that she was getting close and to reward her for her for good behavior. Then she goes another 20 years without any problems or issues, and the denials start getting longer. At one, fairly recent hearing not too long ago- she got the same 5 year denial as Tex? I say the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly had a lot to do with this. If you read or study the parole hearings you will see something very clearly. Things were going Leslie's way. Then this Triumvirate came upon the scene and things took a momentum of their own. It became like a wave that just keeps going and growing, and at some point, Leslie must have realized there was nothing she could do to stop it. Imagine you are getting one year denials and being told how close you are, and then after many more years of no issues- your denials start getting longer...

So then she sued. Leslie and Bruce tried to use the very court system they once laughed at to get relief. I assume you all know how that went. And its hard to make the " I am so very sorry and sincerely have  come to understand the pain I caused others over time," along with the, "I am a political prisoner, this is BS- I should have been out of here years ago" arguments at the same time. Smart people pick up this contradiction. I would bet you 12 Coors-lights that has something to do with how they can keep making the "Still doesn't completely understand the impact she has had on the victims or their families" charge when they deny her. As long as your still complaining about the way you have been treated, how have you been focused on the impact you had on others? Just saying...

Anyway, Back to Leslie's record:

Leslie has been in jail for 46 years and up for parole 20 times.

In all those years she has no 115's (disciplinary write-up's) , and only one 128a from 1981 for talking to a person in detention which was not permitted. She did have the incident with Cywin. He was a fellow inmate who she started communicating with. When he got out they were briefly married. during this time, he was found to be plotting an escape for her. She was found to have had no knowledge or participation with this botched plot. After her last hearing, in which she was granted parole the commissioner of the board told her, " Your behavior in prison speaks for itself. 46 years, and not a single serious rules violation."

Leslie has multiple chronos in her central file for both participating in and serving in leadership roles in; Alcoholics/Narcotics anonymous, Emotions anonymous, Restorative justice, Victims Impact, and Choice Theory courses and programs- among many others.

Leslie has earned her Bachelors in English lit in 1982, and her Masters in Humanities in 2012.             ( which means LULU is more educated than me lol)

Lulu currently has a classification score of 19 which is the lowest allowable for a person with her commitment offense. she has been at that classification for over 20 years.

Lulu has consistently received the highest ratings and reviews in all of her work assignments, and has been placed in positions to Tudor and mentor on more than a few occasions.

On LULU's Psych evaluations for over 25 years she has rated in the very low range compared to other female offenders and placed in the lowest range for violent recidivism.

In her 2010 Psych report the Doctor noted that since the early 70's there is a general consensus among evaluators that Ms. Van Houten does not meet the criteria for axis I or II diagnosis.  This basically means she is not retarded, schizophrenic, suffering from depression, or mentally slow in any way.

The Doctor notes the unanimous consensus she is in the very low to low range to recidivate. in her 2002, and 2004 report both Doctors conclude she would not be dangerous if released into the community. in 1996, 1998, and 1999 her Psych evaluation was prepared by a Dr, McDaniel who found she had developed high insight into her life and drug issues, he notes expressions of remorse and empathy for the victims, he found if released indicators suggest she would comply with the rules of society, and he notes decreased violence potential. There are years of positive reports such as these in Leslie's Central File. A few are even more strongly worded than above in her favor. But I don't feel like looking through any more old information about how great Leslie is.

Look lol I am just not going to go after defending LULU with the same vigor I normally have when trying to make an argument for another subject I feel strongly about. I just do not have the same passion.  This is the very best I can do. Leslie was an exemplary prisoner. It is almost impossible to understand how a young woman of her age could have done more over the years to impress people that she had changed. This ding dong eventually got it. I am just not sure that when she finally understood she was wrong, she felt more sorry for herself and what she got caught up in, than she did for the person she helped to kill. That is a problem for me. Yes, she has accumulated an immaculate record all these years. I will absolutely give her that.

" I feel that when I was young and I was given a second chance in life, that I took advantage of all the things that the prison system offered to come to terms with what happened, to gain awareness of it, to certainly carry my responsibility for what I have done. I understand there are people will always feel that I should never be granted my freedom, and I respect that with the Labianca family, and I apologize to you from the bottom of my heart for the pain I have caused your family, and that will come for generations to come that you have this cloud over you, and I apologize for that."

      - Leslie Van Houten closing statement 2006 Parole Hearing. ( Thanks again Cielodrive)


So, now we must weigh this information and decide whats right. Based on the best information I could find (maybe some of our lawyers can help me here)  the average time served for a person who is sentenced to crimes similar to the circumstances such as Leslie's is about 16 to 25 years. In one of her parole hearings her attorney says according to how the California Parole "Matrix" works she would fall into the 13 to 15 year range based on the factors ("If you look at your rules for an ISL date its 13 to 15 years subject to adjustment for no prior convictions, and no adjustments for multiple offenses.") These estimates are similar enough to give you the general idea that LULU has done way more time than the average mamajamoke.

Here is an exchange between Leslie and Her Parole Board. In 1979. (37 years ago):

Board: "And in looking at these barbaric deeds, you know done for the most illegal reasons, coupled with the uncertainty of your ability to sustain your rehabilitative gains over a period of time, the panel feels it must observe you longer. And we must have more time before we can project a date.

Leslie: "I understand, but will you observe me? I mean is there hope at some time?"

Board: : "Yes" 

Leslie: " OK. That's all I need to know.:

The person whom Leslie was speaking with was Ruth Rush, the Chariman of that particular board. Ruth would go on to become Chairman of the Department of Corrections. If I took away LULU's name and put Jane Doe on her prison resume, we are probably not having this conversation at all. Steve Grogan is an interesting comparison to me.  Is there any reason to believe that Clem, thought to be almost retarded by most everyone on both sides who knew him, was more of a threat as a fairly large middle aged man, than Leslie would be as a wrinkled old woman? Was Clem's crime less heinous than Leslie's? These are the kinds of questions, my mind wrestles with when trying to sort this all out. If you let me go into the facts of her commitment offense, and her behavior during the trial, I can make the best argument you ever heard that LULU should die in jail. But if I keep my promise and just go on her record, post incarceration,  its hard to make any other conclusion than it is time to let her go home. LULU, however, cannot change her name to Jane Doe, and although I wont bring up details of her commitment offense in this post- You can bet that Deb Tate and Company will make sure to keep the Governor aware of exactly who Leslie is and exactly what Leslie did. She is a victim alright, just like Karlene said. But not for the reasons Karlene gave. She is not a victim of Charlie, or the times. It was her own bizarre behavior. Leslie is trapped by a phenomena. She is forever linked to that little 19 year old with the X carved into her head. The Government only gets a few chances to send a message that everyone will hear loud and clear. "The Manson Family" is an easy call for a politician. And although that is not fair, it is not going to change. Leslie had the knowledge and notice that the others didn't about what she was going to get involved in. She asked to participate anyway. It is hard for me to feel sorry for her when it comes to other people saying what she has been through "isn't fair"

At the end of the day, if you ask me what my personal feeling is about her suitability I have to say she has earned her release under the current guidelines. I think she has proven she is suitable for parole. She has earned to right to go home.

I am just glad it is not me who has to make this decision. I feel that I would feel pressure to make a different choice, which would come from my heart, than what I know is the right one in my head.The right decision versus a fair decision. I am not sure in this case they are the same thing. I think its one thing to make the right decision based on rules, and law, and another to make one based on "Fairness". Let me say a few words about fairness. Its one thing for your or I to talk about fairness. It is another thing for Leslie to do it. There are many people out there who write and comment about how unfair this is to Leslie. Some will say she should have been let go years ago. Certainly, her record supports that. For sure, other people who have done similar have gotten out sooner. I am totally in agreement that Leslie has been treated differently. Lets be careful about Fair. I promised not to bring up details of her crime, so lets just say it was a very different type of crime. I just am not sure I want to hear Leslie use the term unfair. Fair depends on who you ask. I don't focus on Leslie when I consider it. I focus on Rosemary. A strong, hard working, self- made, proud woman. Her life was ended in her own home in her prime. We don't have to relive the details. That is enough information for me to decide that if there is any argument that Leslie should be making to win her freedom- it is about her record, accomplishments, and achievements post- incarceration. It should be about her remorse, and her changes in beliefs and values.

The last thing on Earth Leslie Van Houten should ever complain about in her life is what is fair. Rosemary had a right to live her life and she died, and Leslie was originally sentenced to die for causing that and she lived. So, I think Leslie did alright overall in the big picture when it comes to fairness.

And if you are on the Labiancas side of this- Fairness is the last thing on Earth you want to here. How do you decide whats fair when two sides of this look at your decision in two totally different ways so extremely? If you are among those who cheers for Leslie's release, I advise you to pray the Governor does what is right under the law and not tries to decide what is fair. Fair can be a slippery slope in situations like this. Is your priority to be fair to those who harm others or those who have been harmed? Cause one is going to think you were not fair no matter what you decide.

46 years behind bars. What a long Strange Trip its been....

So, there you go. I kept my promise. I did not go into any details about the crime. I did not try to arouse any emotions with the same old gory details. You can all view the Leslie prison record for itself and form your own opinion. As for me, I can't forget the details of the crime ever. I would not be here participating in this if I could. I think Lulu deserves to be granted her date and I will not protest or complain if she is, but I hope she is not, and don't believe she will be. I am aware that is a contradiction, but it is my honest feeling from the bottom of my Heart.

I don't know if that is right. But, I hope that it is- and that this post was- Fair....


                                                    - Your favorite Saint



UPDATE: Verdict in!!!! DECISION TO GRANT PAROLE OVERTURNED!!!! 

I will not re-post the whole thing but here are the highlights:

 GOVERNING LAW
The question I must answer is whether Van Houten will pose a current danger to the public if released from prison. The circumstances of the crime can provide evidence of current dangerousness when the record also establishes that something in the inmate’s pre- or post- incarceration history, or the inmate’s current demeanor and mental state, indicate that the circumstances of the crime remain probative of current dangerousness. (In re Lawrence (2008) 44 Cal. 4th 1181, 1214.) In rare circumstances, the aggravated nature of the crime alone can provide a valid basis for denying parole even when there is strong evidence of rehabilitation and no other evidence of current dangerousness. (Id. at pp. 1211, 1214.)

THIS bold highlighted part above is the answer to all of you who make the matrix or time served argument :)

DECISION
The Board of Parole Hearings found Van Houten suitable for parole based on her age at the time of the crime, length of incarceration, lack of violent crime as an adult, educational and vocational accomplishments, self-help programming, lack of disciplinary history, credibility, detailed relapse prevention plan, “tremendous” level of insight, acceptance of responsibility, remorse, consistent risk assessments placing her at a minimal risk of violence, and parole plans. Van Houten was only 19 years old when she perpetrated these heinous murders. Accordingly, I must give great weight to her “diminished culpability… as compared to adults,” “hallmark features of youth,” and “subsequent growth and increased maturity.” (Pen. Code, § 4801, subd. (c).) The record reveals that prior to joining the Manson Family, Van Houten led a “privileged” life. She reported being raised “comfortably” in the middle class by her father, an automobile auctioneer, and her mother, a homemaker. She sang in the choir at her Presbyterian church, went to the youth fellowship, and enjoyed church camp every summer. In high school, several classmates described Van Houten as “popular.” She was homecoming princess twice, class secretary, and a participant in Campfire Girls and Job’s Daughters. She was tested and found to have “a superior I.Q. in the top five percent of the United States.” She also began to experience some instability in her life following her parents’ divorce when she was 14. She reported that her parents’ relationship was “mismatched” and her mother “married down” and was “embarrassed” by her father’s drinking. Following the divorce, Van Houten indicated that she felt abandoned by her father and angry with her mother. She rebelled by using drugs and had a self-induced abortion sometime during the second trimester of her pregnancy at age 17. However, even after this, she was able to graduate from high school. She attended a business college for a year and became a certified legal secretary. Shortly after receiving her certification, Van Houten went to San Francisco where she met fellow Family members, Bobby Beausoleil and Catherine Share. She traveled throughout the state with them before ultimately moving to Spahn Ranch. She lived on the Ranch for nearly a year before the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Van Houten has now been incarcerated for 46 years. She is 66 years old and has made efforts to improve herself The psychologist who evaluated her in 2016 noted that during Van Houten’s imprisonment, she has “developed greater maturity, independence, and responsibility” and has “led a pro-social lifestyle.” She has never been disciplined for serious misconduct during her incarceration. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and has received exceptional work ratings as a tutor for the past decade. She also received positive commendations from staff She has participated in numerous self-help programs including Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, Victim Offender Education Group, and Emotions Anonymous. I carefully examined the record for evidence of her diminished culpability and youthful characteristics at the time of the crime, and her subsequent growth in prison. I gave these considerations great weight when assessing her suitability for parole. However, they are outweighed by negative factors that demonstrate she remains unsuitable for parole.

 It remains unclear how and why Van Houten drastically transformed from an exceptionally smart, driven young woman, class secretary and homecoming princess, to a member of one of the most notorious cults in history and an eager participant in the cold-blooded and gory murder of innocent victims aiming to provoke an all-out race war. Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unreasonable risk to society if released.

CONCLUSION
I have considered the evidence in the record that is relevant to whether Van Houten is currently dangerous. When considered as a whole, I find the evidence shows that she currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison. Therefore, I reverse the decision to parole Van Houten.

Decision Date: July 22, 2016
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor, State of California



I leave you all with this:


 “Ladies who play with fire must remember that smoke gets in their eyes.”

         - Mae West


 “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” 

        - Benjamin Franklin