The NY Times contrasts the British and Californian way:
California is not Scotland. That’s the message one British newspaper took from Wednesday’s decision by a California parole board to turn down an application for compassionate release submitted on behalf of Susan Atkins, who is serving a life sentence for her part in the 1969 killing spree carried out by followers of Charles Manson.
In London, The Daily Mail contrasted the decision with one taken two weeks earlier by the Scottish regional government to free Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, who was convicted of murder for his role in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The Mail’s headline suggested “Scotland Take Note” of the fact that Ms. Atkins lost her bid for parole “DESPITE Being on Her Death Bed.”
Quite right too.
Of those who took part in the killings, certain of them were beyond the pale and certain of them went along with it. Leslie van Houten was one who was told to "do something" and stabbed someone who might have been already dead and her degree of guilt is no less for that but she always struck me as being into the other aspects of the family more than this gruesome thing.
Again, it's not excusing her but when she's placed beside Susan Atkins [Sadie Mae Glutz] and Tex Watson, there is a stark contrast. Those two not only initiated the murders but added embellishments and Atkins pursued a fleeing victim, already stabbed, across the lawn and finished her off. Her words at the time are in the title of this post.
There is a distinction and in a state with no capital punishment [they were lucky it changed], then "for the term of her natural life" is the correct decision. Heat of the moment, crime of passion - this was not. This was planned, cold-bloodedly carried out and most importantly ... with relish.
Worth saying that Private Eye suggested that there was a lot of doubt about the judgement- Paul Foot did a special on it a couple of years ago. The New Statesman suggests that the reason why the Libyan was released was that an appeal would have revealed how shoddy the case was- it was John Pilger but even so the argument is worth examining.
ReplyDeleteThe Libyan question - yes. The Manson question - no.
ReplyDeleteSorry should have made clear the doubt is on the Libyan crime- Manson one cut and dried.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they could send her to Libya?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the Scottish regional government?
ReplyDelete