Charles Manson

Charles Milles Manson (born November 12, 1934) was the leader of a group of young followers of both sexes, known collectively as "The Family" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Manson convinced the youths of his apocalyptic vision and still has a considerable amount of control over some of the former family members who are still alive. He planned and ordered the family to commit several brutal murders, most notably the movie actress Sharon Tate who was pregnant at the time. He was convicted of murder in what came to be known as the "Tate-La Bianca case", named after the victims, although he was not accused of committing the murders in person. He is currently serving a life sentence in a California prison and is up for parole in 2007; however, due to his erratic and arguably dangerous and insane behavior, it is highly unlikely he will ever be released.

Parole hearings

Of the eight Manson "family" members convicted in the nine murders that law enforcement was able to establish, only one, Steve (Clem Tufts) Grogan, has been paroled. Grogan, convicted in the killing of Donald (Shorty) Shea, was released in 1985 having served 13 years, after showing the authorities where Shea's previously undiscovered remains were buried in 1979. This was in part supported by a letter from Superior Judge Burton Katz, who had prosecuted the case and praised Grogan's later cooperation.

Related Topics:
1985 - 1979

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In 2000, a judge ordered the parole board to justify Van Houten's continued incarceration, citing that in effect sentencing her to life without parole was not an authorized sentence. An appeal court found that the seriousness of the crime had been appropriately weighed by the parole board, and upheld the denial of parole on that occasion. The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that the state Board of Prison Terms had made a "serious, deliberate and thoughtful" decision in June of 2000 when it denied Van Houten parole for the 12th time. The appeals court said the board had used the correct standard when it found that the seriousness of Van Houten's crime, which she committed when she was 19, outweighed her rehabilitation behind bars. "We find ample evidence that the crime was of such a heinous, atrocious and cruel character that this factor alone justified the board's determination that Van Houten was unsuitable for parole," the court said.

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Fromme, eligible for parole since 1985 following the 1975 incident, has consistently waived her right to a hearing, presumably to show solidarity with Manson.

Related Topics:
1985 - 1975

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Manson was last entitled to a parole hearing in 2002, and was denied early release, in particular due to a "litany" of offenses ranging from drug trafficking to arson to assaulting guards. He is next eligible for parole in 2007. However, he is never expected to be granted parole. Several Manson family members are due their next parole hearings in 2005.

Related Topics:
2002 - Drug trafficking - Arson - 2007 - 2005

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