By Charlotte Porter, L.A. Times

June 13 (Bloomberg) -- Susan Atkins, the Charles Manson follower imprisoned for 37 years for the Tate-LaBianca murders in Southern California, is close to death and being considered for release, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Atkins, 59, who is in a hospital near the California Institute for Women in Corona, has been denied parole 11 times since the two-night spree in 1969 in which the actress Sharon Tate, wife of director Roman Polanski, and six other people were killed, the Times said. She was sentenced to life in prison.

California corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton, citing privacy laws, couldn't disclose details of Atkins's illness, although unidentified sources told the Times she had brain cancer and that one leg had been amputated.

Thornton said the parole request must be reviewed by the Corrections Department and then the state Board of Parole, the Times reported. Atkins has spent more time in prison than any other female inmate in California, according to the newspaper.

Atkins was one of cult leader Manson's ``family'' of young killers who burst into a Beverly Hills home and killed Tate, who was more than eight months' pregnant, along with four others. The following night, they stabbed to death Rosemary and Leno LaBianca, a wealthy couple in their Los Angeles home, the newspaper said.

Looks like a serious injustice is about to take place. Apparently the State of California is about to release Susan Atkins on what it calls a "compassionate release" as she has only months to live. Too bad her victims couldn't have been given a compassionate way to die. I guess the only good thing that can come from this is that the expenses of her sickness and death must be taken care of by her family rather than by tax payers.

Here's the article:

CORONA, Calif. - Former Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins, convicted in the 1969 murder of actress Sharon Tate, could soon be released from prison because she is near death, authorities said.

Atkins, 59, is terminally ill and being considered for so-called "compassionate release," state corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said. She gave no details of Atkins' illness, but said a doctor had determined she had less than six months to live.

The corrections department was reviewing the request, which if approved would then be passed to the state Board of Parole which has the power to release Atkins under state law so they can die with loved ones, at their expense.

Such releases are relatively rare — only 10 of the 60 requests made last year were granted, Thornton said. The prisoners must have family members willing and able to care for them.

Atkins' husband has acted as her attorney over the years and would be her caretaker if she is released.

Atkins was one of cult leader Manson's ersatz hippie "family" of young killers who burst into a Los Angeles home 39 years ago and killed Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, along with four others. The following night they stabbed to death a wealthy couple in their Los Angeles home.

Atkins has been denied parole 11 times, most recently in 2005.

She was housed in the California Institution for Women in Frontera for 37 years, but has been in a nearby hospital since March.

They better just keep her in jall....she is a cold blooded killer and should have no rights at all!!! Let her Rot in jaill !

if tales from her cellmates are true, and that she has never really shown remorse and truly takes glee in telling tales of what she did.. then i'd leave her behind bars.

I wanted to respond to your e-mail that you posted regarding the tales that inmates have said about Susan Atkins. first of all what kind of inmate was it, I bet you one out of one hundred it was a short termer. One who went to prison to talk about everyone else, but herself. One that kept her eye on all of the lifers and talked about the murders they are, but her faviorate ones that were lifers deserved to get released right? She played judge. give me a break. Guess what I was in prison also, and I was one of the many that judged susan and gave her a very hard time, because I heard the stories and all the rumors in there. But the reality is that this women never did me any harm and I feared God and had to go up to her and ask her to forgive me. Susan did committ some horiable crimes, but it doesn't take a person to committee a actual murder to committ murder. One can committe murder just by the pain we cause our loved ones and children with our drug addiction and life style, we murder our loved ones souls everyday. So who ever trys to play judge and spread rumors,what kind of life do they have? Susan is going to meet her maker and who is anyone to try and get in the way? She is dieing and not going home to have a party. Does it make you happy to bring more victimes into this, the family of Susans didn't committ the crime, haven't they paid the time plus. I fell they deserve to be by her bed side day and night, it's not only about Susan but others who have feelings and emotions and have suffered greatly, even greater than the victims families, lets be real, most of the victims immediate family has pasted away and the ones alive were probably so little that they carry it on for show and power and control........Get Real......

Susan Atkins along with others, definitely committed horrendous crimes, but since when does the US demand an eye for an eye. It has been stated that she has helped save the lives of other inmates and her years in prison were put to good use. Now she is dying...she has been entitled to parole 11 times and turned down 11 times! Some say weeks, some say a couple of months is all she has to live. Why not let her free after serving 37 years in prison and die in a bed in a home. She is practically unable talk, can't walk and cannot possibly do anyone any harm. She had denounced Manson many many years ago and admitted that she knew what she did was terribly wrong. Right now she is being given cruel and unusual punishment. Let Susan Atkins die outside those prison walls. People, show compassion. She does deserve it at this point.

When Sharon Tate was crying and begging to be allowed to live and to let her baby live, Susan Atkins told her straight up that she did not care about her or her baby.

Susan then stabbed Sharon Tate to death, tasted her blood and then used her blood to write "pig" on the walls, door, whatever.

Show some compassion for Susan Atkins? Not from me in a million years.

but isn't paying for her medical bills a way of showing compassion for her? I'd rather her family be stuck with her bills. Idont want to pay for her medical bills

no she does not. She killed a baby. Rot in jail.............

okay everyone, upset already? let's remember that all the manson family members convicted of these murders was given the death penalty. wait a minute rose bird/jerry brown. get the picture? the 40th anniversary is coming up. remember

Finally what comes around goes around..... You deserve to die in jail, you showed no mercy and none will be shown to you. Revenge is mine saith the lord,, you are a merciless baby killer..... Hell awaits you.

Susan Atkins wants compassion? How about the state show her the same mercy she showed her victims? In prison she bragged about the crimes she committed. At the trial, she and her co-defendants shaved their heads, carved x's on their foreheads, laughed, snickered, sang, and interrupted the court process. They showed no sorrow for the crimes, and sneered at their victim's families. I say she ought to rot in prison. Let the state show her no compassion. The liberals will be the first to scream. How about they take her into their homes? How would they feel if one of their loved ones were killed by Susan Atkins?:

I agree 100 per cent with you.

You've voiced your disgust here about the possible parole of Susan Atkins. Now let the authorties know how you feel.

Letters regarding compassionate parole for Susan Atkins DCD inmate No. W-08304 can be sent to:

Executive Officer M. Hoshino
Board of Parole Hearings
PO Box 4036
Sacramento, CA 95814

July 18, 2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California parole officials on Tuesday considered releasing a follower of Charles Manson who is dying of brain cancer, but the governor and others said her decades-old crimes were too brutal for her to be shown such mercy.

Susan Atkins' doctors and officials at the women's prison in Corona made the compassionate release request in March because of her deteriorating health. Atkins also has had her left leg amputated and is paralyzed on her right side, her husband and attorney, James Whitehouse, told the California Board of Parole Hearings.

He said doctors have given her three months to live.

"Why should we continue to incarcerate her at this point in life?" Whitehouse said. "She can't sit up in bed. ... She literally can't snap her fingers. She can put sentences together three or four times a day, but that's the extent of it."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Suzan Hubbard, the state's director of adult prisons, also recommended against Atkins' release.

"They have to stay in, have to serve their time," Schwarzenegger said Tuesday during an unrelated news conference. Even if Atkins is dying, the governor said, "Those kinds of crimes are just so unbelievable, that I am not for compassionate release in that case."

Corrections Department spokeswoman Terry Thornton says Atkins' medical treatment has cost state taxpayers more than $1.4 million since March.

I believe Tex Watson admitted to the stabbing of Sharon Tate. Of course this was years later when both had become Christians. If they can let John Hinkley out on "Unsupervised" weekend passes then anything is possible. By now everyone should know she was turned down for release. God alone grants forgiveness. It doesn't matter if we forgive her or continue to harbor resentment and hatred for her or her crimes.