On April 11th, the notorious serial killer Charles Manson was denied parole once again. The court's decision was based on a variety of factors, including the fact that Manson recently bragged about how dangerous he is to a prison psychologist. This is the 12th time that the murderer has been denied parole. At 77, Manson has been in jail for approximately 43 years. He was originally issued a life sentence in 1969 during a Los Angeles killing spree known as the "Helter Skelter." Since then, Manson has been trying to get out from behind bars and serve his sentence on parole instead.
Manson's attorney admits that it was difficult to represent the mass murder. He was appointed by the state to represent Manson, but told the LA Times that the killer refused to meet with him. The case was even more challenging because of the weight of Manson's crimes and his lack of remorse. He has never repented of his involvement in the killings. The panel that was responsible for determining if Manson should be awarded parole says that it was an easy decision. Manson, they determined, has no positive suitability factors.
In fact, the murderer commonly brags to the prison psychologist about how many people he has killed and the experience he has gained after a life in Corcoran State Prison. The panel agreed that Manson is too dangerous to be allowed the freedom of parole. This decision to keep Manson in the pen may shut off his possibilities of ever being set free. His next hearing for parole is set for 2027, and at that time he will be 92. Manson did not attend his parole hearing. This is not the first time he has refused to show up. According to the California Department of Corrections, he told his counselor he did not plan on attending. He has not shown up for a hearing since 1997. In his absence, a commissioner, a deputy commissioner, Manson's attorney, the prosecuting attorney, and family members of Manson's victims attended the hearing.
Manson is most famous for his involvement in the Tate and LaBianca murders in Los Angeles California. He motivated his followers to take the lives of five innocent people in the Tate household, and murder Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. He is also responsible for the deaths of two others. Originally, Manson was given the death sentence for his crimes, but a court ruling modified his punishment in 1977 to read that he would have a life in prison with the possibility of parole. This modification was a result of the 1972 California Supreme Court decision that the death penalty was unconstitutional.
At the parole hearing, Commissioners went over Manson's prison records, and attorneys from both sides gave presentations. The commissioners closed deliberations before announcing their decision. Manson's last parole hearing was in 2007. Since then, he has violated many of the prison rules- a factor which does not help his case when it comes to seeking parole. Within five years Manson has been caught with a handmade weapon in the prison, and has threatened a peace officer. Since 1971, Manson has accumulated 108 serious disciplinary violations in prison. He has never shown remorse for his murder violations.
In 2009 and 2011, Manson was caught with contraband cell phones, and placed calls to contacts in New Jersey, Florida, British Columbia, and more. The first phone was a flip LG that was hidden under Manson's bed. He was sentenced an extra 30 days in prison for the crime. The next time that a phone was discovered it was seized immediately. With the advent of his new parole hearing, the prison released two new photos of Manson to the press. He is now gray-haired and unkempt. For now, the public can expect Manson to remain in his special unit in Corcoran prison- a unit that it set apart for inmates that are intimidating to the other prisoners.
