Comments on: Parole board recommends release of 70-year-old Manson follower, in prison for 40 years,

By: Jangocat

Jangocat — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Thank you! Why anyone in their right mind would think it’s ok to take a chance letting a double murderer out of jail defies logic.

By: James Penrose

James Penrose — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 22:26:00 +0000

I’m in favor of letting him out when one of the people he murdered says it’s OK. As long as they remain dead, he should be as close to dead as we can manage.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:59:00 +0000

Serial killers are catnip for some people.

By: Philbert

Philbert — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:16:00 +0000

Isn’t anyone else surprised that a man in prison for 40 years on account of murder, is somehow able to find a woman to marry, get married and have a child?
That is quite weird to me.

By: Randall Scott

Randall Scott — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 07:17:00 +0000

I would like to guess in most cities in the US that most people would identify themselves as Christian. Therefore, one would expect that a jury of peers would have such a majority.

By: the damned fool

the damned fool — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:29:00 +0000

No! Then again maybe he didn’t celebrate like the others upon their arrest. So…maybe.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:10:00 +0000

Yes, but most likely 10 are Christian.

By: aikimoe

aikimoe — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 03:26:00 +0000

Well, out of 12 members, 5 are white males.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 02:55:00 +0000

No, they have a token maybe Muslim, too.

By: Sirkowski

Sirkowski — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 02:34:00 +0000

So he’s still part of a criminal cult.

By: Donald Petersen

Donald Petersen — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:57:00 +0000

That’s some uncommonly deep and compassionate thinking, Dritch. Thanks.

By: Perizade

Perizade — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:23:00 +0000

I dunno, a 65 year old shot a bus driver, kidnapped a child, then kept him in an underground bunker for five days.

By: Perizade

Perizade — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:21:00 +0000

I don’t know that they’d all be out. The crime might have been famous anyway because it was so bizarre and heinous. Other killers haven’t been released. Susan Atkins wasn’t released even when she was comatose. I think this sucks, truth be known. Barbara Hoyt and others repeatedly stated that Bruce Davis was not really follower but an intended leader, and every bit as mean spirited as Charles Manson. He intended to start his own family. He’s still a suspect for other murders. Do. Not. Like.

By: aikimoe

aikimoe — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:29:00 +0000

The Board of Paroles in California isn’t made up of white Christian males.
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/boph/commissioners.html

By: unit1421

unit1421 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:42:00 +0000

He’ll likely draw the minimum. According to Mother Jones, prisoners cannot collect SSI until they are released, but the article doesn’t address Davis’ situation and nothing seems to be available on Davis’ work history prior to his role in the Manson murders.

By: bcsizemo

bcsizemo — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:27:00 +0000

Married, has a child, then divorced, obtained a master’s and doctorate, has a roof over his head and three meals a day…..I am seriously doing something wrong.

By: eldritch

eldritch — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:22:00 +0000

While youth may sometimes explain poor judgement or wrong thinking, it is hardly the only possible explanation for such. Plenty of young people are wise, and plenty of their seniors are not.

Forty years in a cage gives a person a lot of time to dwell on their crimes. People go into prison and leave their past life behind, live a separate lifetime there, and sometimes they get out again – and when they do, they’re almost always changed.

I’ve no great faith in the American prison institution. But I also think none of us here are qualified in any way to judge. This is beyond any of us, beyond our experiences and our scope and breadth of knowledge. We are distant observers craning our heads through a haze, ready to make up our minds based on a trifling of information and a gut decision or intuition, influenced by our personal biases. In a week, we’ll have forgotten our condemnations, will be gazing out at some other far off scenario in purported need of our thoughts and opinions.

By: cellocgw

cellocgw — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:12:00 +0000

So he’s swapped one insane religion for another? And this makes him safe to release into the public? arrgh (or something).

By: rocketpjs

rocketpjs — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:07:00 +0000

Beats me, but not many 70 year olds commit violent crimes.

By: sdmikev

sdmikev — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000

My initial reaction to this is “what purpose is it serving to leave this guy in jail?”
But the guy wasn’t some impressionable 17year-old when he committed these crimes.
He was more than a grown man and even though I believe ultimately that our prison system should be that of rehab.. not sure he “deserves” to be let go.

By: Chauncey Scott

Chauncey Scott — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:59:00 +0000

Which usually means, ends don’t meet.

By: Robert Holmén

Robert Holmén — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:58:00 +0000

Less expensive than his current confinement. But it’s not certain he qualifies for SS… does he have the statutory 40 quarters of SS-contributing employment?

By: J. Brad Hicks

J. Brad Hicks — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:50:00 +0000

Yep. I don’t understand how anybody can be NOT cynical about jailhouse conversions. “Oh, you converted to the majority religion? I guess that’s a get-out-of-jail-free card for you.”

But, then, if the Manson “family” had killed only ordinary people, and hadn’t killed a celebrity, they’d all be out by now.

By: Petzl

Petzl — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:23:00 +0000

Exactly. Not saying he’s consciously dissembling, but by mimicking the white christian males on the parole board, he, now a white christian male himself, much more easily passes their inspections.

By: angusm

angusm — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:09:00 +0000

I wonder how easy it is for someone who doesn't find Jesus in prison to have the parole board look kindly on them? I suspect that saying "No, sir, I'm an atheist" (or, probably as bad, "Actually, I've converted to Islam") would be a ticket back to your tiny little cell for the remainder of your natural life.

By: unit1421

unit1421 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:57:00 +0000

He’ll go on Social Security and Medicare since he’s past 70, and likely end up in Section-8 housing.

By: Chauncey Scott

Chauncey Scott — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:50:00 +0000

I’d believe in a person being rehabilitated, if that’s what actually occurred in the US penal system. At this point, he’s spent more time in jail than out. Does he even remember how to interact without the structure? How would he make $, I suppose a tell all book, but still. Slippery slope, I say.