CJ's note: Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately. The hand is almost on the mend, but the thing I've been focused on most intently is The Claremont Conservative's new video content, the scripts for which I've been writing with Sam Corcos. I may have a new job come September, but I'll let you know more about that in the coming weeks.
In any event, here's some news.
Susan Atkins has been denied her "compassionate release" from jail.
I spoke, by telephone, with Prosecutor Stephen R. Kay about the decision before it was handed down. Here are my notes from what he said. Please note that this is a rough transcript.
My position on Susan Atkins is that when Sharon Tate was begging for her life and for the life of her baby., Susan Atkins said to her, 'Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me. Just let me have my baby. Sussan Atkins said to her – and pardon my language, but it is important for you to hear it in her language, 'Look Bitch, I don't care about you or your baby. You're going to die. And you'd better be ready for it.'"
We know that she said this from her confession and all of her parole hearings, in one of which she admitted to tasting Ms. Tate's blood.
I'm very much opposed to releasing Ms. Atkins.
Susan Atkins got the benefit of having her life. She was given the death penalty, but in 1972, the California Supreme Court ruled that the phrase "cruel and unusual punishment" barred Atkins and 114 others from getting the death penalty and commuted her sentence from death to life.
Under the new rubric, "life" has meant that you are eligible for parole every 7 years. During the past decades, Atkins has been married a couple of times. She has had conjugal visits with her first husband, although I'm not sure about the second husband. Life prisoners were cut off, but it's possible he had one or two visits before the ban went into effect.Susan Atkins has had all kinds of compassionate treatment.
Sharon Tate had none. Her 8 and half month perfectly formed male fetus had none.
I don't see what "compassionate release" would do for Ms. Atkins anyways.
Her husband says that even if she is given clemency, she will remain in the hospital in the bed because he cannot handle her.
For all of these reasons, I am very much opposed to releasing Atkins.
