LinasK
Verified insider- Mark Dribin case
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- Jun 3, 2004
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Nonetheless, the poster posted that Van Houten didn't kill anyone. I was going back through the thread.that post you replied to was from 2019
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Nonetheless, the poster posted that Van Houten didn't kill anyone. I was going back through the thread.that post you replied to was from 2019
I can't go thru life thinking that a person is irredeemable and can not turn their life around when given the chance.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom has allowed the release of a killer who served four decades in prison for the murder of a developmentally disabled California man who was buried alive, officials said Monday.
...
Parole commissioners balanced Weidert’s youthful immaturity and lack of criminal record at the time and decades of good behavior in prison against what they called “an incredibly gruesome, violent, horrific murder” in deciding he is no longer a risk, according to a hearing transcript.
It wasn't a "mistake"! She willingly went knowing that she was going to murder people and she was vicious- 16 stab wounds. She felt that she missed out on the fun of the Tate murders. She's admitted this in interviews. She was sentenced to the Death Penalty. She deserves to die in prison for her crime as Susan Atkins did. That's my opinion, and it's never going to change. And I too have studied this case since it happened, I was living in LA at the time.
Van Houten was convicted in 1971 of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit the Tate murders.I'm not going to take the word of a damaged, lovesick, child whose mind was blown up by daily acid trips for months and programing by a psychopath as the truth. She was with the Family for over a year before the murders. I would not be surprised if they dropped acid some 300 times just at the Spahn Ranch alone.Her reality was not reliable. Not then and her memory of things has to be questioned. Nothing that was said in that trial by those girls can be taken as the truth. It was all an act. Charlie told them what to say and do. If he could get the girls to take the blame, he doesn't go back to prison. That's quite a motivation for him to keep those girls acting crazy. They were willing to die for Charlie. Lying and acting was nothing to them. None of it was real to them. He prayed on their insecurities, plied them with drugs, threatened and beat some of them multiple times and controlled everything they did. So yeah, her mistake was falling in with Manson and getting caught up in his manipulations. Once out of his grasp LVH flew straight and never so much as had one single infraction in 53 years of incarceration. Fifty-Three YEARS IN PRISON. She was not a career criminal. Not a multiple offender. That says something to me.
As far as the death sentence is concerned. That trial was farce.No way, no how it was fair. A complete circus. There is enough dirt on Bugliosi that he would have been disbarred if he were practicing today. A snake prosecuted a snake. Tried today it would have been a very, very different trial so I hold no confidence in that verdict. There should have been a retrial, which ironically enough, would have probably happened if the death penalty verdict had held.
I'm not going to change your mind and you're not going to change mine. I respect your opinion. I just have a different one. Again, sorry if it makes you angry, that's not my intention.
Just a comment and a correction regarding Leslie Van Houghton's trials...As far as the death sentence is concerned. That trial was farce.No way, no how it was fair. A complete circus. There is enough dirt on Bugliosi that he would have been disbarred if he were practicing today. A snake prosecuted a snake. Tried today it would have been a very, very different trial so I hold no confidence in that verdict. There should have been a retrial, which ironically enough, would have probably happened if the death penalty verdict had held...
She made a mistake?? Oops I accidentally participated in brutally murdering someone?I changed my mind. I'm now 100% convinced that Leslie earned and deserved to be released after reading so many comments saying she should be kept in there for the rest of her life. I'm pretty shocked by the responses actually. Again, I've studied this case for years. I'm well aware of what she did. I'm not excusing it. It's not such a cut/dry/black/white thing however. There are waay to many unanswered questions.
I think prison actually saved Leslie from a life of crime. Go look up how most of the rest of " The Family" turned out. Some got in a shootout with police while robbing a gun store. Others went on to kill again. One tried to assassinate the President of the United States. LVH corrected and rehabilitated herself while she was in there. It obviously did her some good.
There are PLENTY of people who deserve to be in prison for the rest of their lives. Leslie Van Hauten isn't one of them. She made a mistake. A horrible, horrible mistake. She's had the horror of that night looking over her shoulder for over 50 yrs. She paid for it and will be paying for it mentally for the rest of her life. I hope she's able to contribute something positive to society. Hopefully she can put some good into the world. I'm rooting for her. I can't go thru life thinking that a person is irredeemable and can not turn their life around when given the chance.
I know this is a very unpopular opinion. I stand by it. Sorry if it's upsetting to some.
Your "don't know" paragraph generalizes many decent, compassionate, merciful people who don't deserve your judgement. However, that is the beauty of this forum. There are many thoughtfully written posts and room for many opposing opinions. My opinion is as valid as yours. It is irrelevant to me that a previous monster killer was paroled. I have referenced the Manson killers in this thread. I don't care if she has learned how to be good in prison. I don't think she deserved any freedom other than what she had in incarceration. Aren't we grateful to have this forum for our own freedom.Wow, I was blown away by this. When I heard the news, I took off work and went and sat at the beach and appreciated her freedom and my freedom and freedom in general.
Her freedom inspires me and restores my faith in humanity. It shows me that the system, though very flawed is not broken. It shows me that not everyone is driven by vengeance, cold-heartedness, and an inability to forgive. It gives me hope because it aligns with Bryan Stevenson's belief that "we are all more than the worst thing we have ever done." Her freedom demonstrates that after being locked up for 53 mf'in years, people can find redemption and be reborn, even in the most oppressive of circumstances. With people who don't even know you, hating your f'in guts and wishing you were dead & could and should never smile, or experience joy ever again in LIFE because their loved one who you killed will never laugh or experience joy ever again. So you should just suffer forever and ever. I am so glad that life doesn't work this way.
Her story gives me hope, that when I have to freaking go to the next parole board hearing for the murderer who killed my brother, maybe, just maybe, the board will share that he has obtained a bachelor's and master's degree and that he thinks about my brother every day, has given up drugs and that he struggles to live with the weight of his actions and genuinely desires to make a positive impact in the world. Instead of seething at me and yelling "f you bish, I'll kill you too."
I don't know where these attitudes come from where folks think people don't change and can't change. Or they are trying to pull a fast one and are not sincere and are trying to get over on us. I think it's a spiritual malady. There is nothing wrong with having compassion, mercy, and promoting peace even for mf'ers who may not deserve it because what I get is the greatest gift of all...inner peace!
BRAVA LVH, I hope you go sit at the beach and enjoy your freedom. you earned it!
I really like your post.Wow, I was blown away by this. When I heard the news, I took off work and went and sat at the beach and appreciated her freedom and my freedom and freedom in general.
Her freedom inspires me and restores my faith in humanity. It shows me that the system, though very flawed is not broken. It shows me that not everyone is driven by vengeance, cold-heartedness, and an inability to forgive. It gives me hope because it aligns with Bryan Stevenson's belief that "we are all more than the worst thing we have ever done." Her freedom demonstrates that after being locked up for 53 mf'in years, people can find redemption and be reborn, even in the most oppressive of circumstances. With people who don't even know you, hating your f'in guts and wishing you were dead & could and should never smile, or experience joy ever again in LIFE because their loved one who you killed will never laugh or experience joy ever again. So you should just suffer forever and ever. I am so glad that life doesn't work this way.
Her story gives me hope, that when I have to freaking go to the next parole board hearing for the murderer who killed my brother, maybe, just maybe, the board will share that he has obtained a bachelor's and master's degree and that he thinks about my brother every day, has given up drugs and that he struggles to live with the weight of his actions and genuinely desires to make a positive impact in the world. Instead of seething at me and yelling "f you bish, I'll kill you too."
I don't know where these attitudes come from where folks think people don't change and can't change. Or they are trying to pull a fast one and are not sincere and are trying to get over on us. I think it's a spiritual malady. There is nothing wrong with having compassion, mercy, and promoting peace even for mf'ers who may not deserve it because what I get is the greatest gift of all...inner peace!
BRAVA LVH, I hope you go sit at the beach and enjoy your freedom. you earned it!
Emphasis mine.Wow, I was blown away by this. When I heard the news, I took off work and went and sat at the beach and appreciated her freedom and my freedom and freedom in general.
Her freedom inspires me and restores my faith in humanity. It shows me that the system, though very flawed is not broken. It shows me that not everyone is driven by vengeance, cold-heartedness, and an inability to forgive. It gives me hope because it aligns with Bryan Stevenson's belief that "we are all more than the worst thing we have ever done." Her freedom demonstrates that after being locked up for 53 mf'in years, people can find redemption and be reborn, even in the most oppressive of circumstances. With people who don't even know you, hating your f'in guts and wishing you were dead & could and should never smile, or experience joy ever again in LIFE because their loved one who you killed will never laugh or experience joy ever again. So you should just suffer forever and ever. I am so glad that life doesn't work this way.
Her story gives me hope, that when I have to freaking go to the next parole board hearing for the murderer who killed my brother, maybe, just maybe, the board will share that he has obtained a bachelor's and master's degree and that he thinks about my brother every day, has given up drugs and that he struggles to live with the weight of his actions and genuinely desires to make a positive impact in the world. Instead of seething at me and yelling "f you bish, I'll kill you too."
I don't know where these attitudes come from where folks think people don't change and can't change. Or they are trying to pull a fast one and are not sincere and are trying to get over on us. I think it's a spiritual malady. There is nothing wrong with having compassion, mercy, and promoting peace even for mf'ers who may not deserve it because what I get is the greatest gift of all...inner peace!
BRAVA LVH, I hope you go sit at the beach and enjoy your freedom. you earned it!
Her being a danger isn't the issue, it's that she didn't serve her full sentence for the viciousness of her crimes. She originally received the Death Penalty. Her cohort Susan Atkins died in prison. That's what she deserved.I don’t think she should’ve been paroled. However, I don’t think she’s likely to reoffend.
@Chimera Beautifully stated IMO. This is how my heart can't help but feel, personally. Thanks for this respectful post.Emphasis mine.
Only my take on this release of LVH : Wanting a cold blooded killer to remain locked away is not cold hearted, nor is it vengeance, nor an inability to forgive.
Rather it is needing to see justice for lives that were taken in a painful, brutal, and prolonged manner.
Imagine what this did to the relatives -- to have their loved ones pass in this manner.
Even though some relatives are now passed away I doubt the decades have dulled the pain for those family members who still survive.
My .02 is that this was a slap in the face for the victims, and for their still living relatives.
What is hurtful is that LVH can now enjoy a meal at a restaurant, read articles on the internet, go for walks, and form friendships ; while her victims will never see another sunrise, or receive a hug from a loved one ?
The justice system failed these victims.
My compassion is for those who had their lives stolen in a terrible way.
People who had done the Manson family no wrong at all, just living their lives.
Only my opinion.
@Chimera Beautifully stated IMO. This is how my heart can't help but feel, personally. Thanks for this respectful post.Emphasis mine.
Only my take on this release of LVH : Wanting a cold blooded killer to remain locked away is not cold hearted, nor is it vengeance, nor an inability to forgive.
Rather it is needing to see justice for lives that were taken in a painful, brutal, and prolonged manner.
Imagine what this did to the relatives -- to have their loved ones pass in this manner.
Even though some relatives are now passed away I doubt the decades have dulled the pain for those family members who still survive.
My .02 is that this was a slap in the face for the victims, and for their still living relatives.
What is hurtful is that LVH can now enjoy a meal at a restaurant, read articles on the internet, go for walks, and form friendships ; while her victims will never see another sunrise, or receive a hug from a loved one ?
The justice system failed these victims.
My compassion is for those who had their lives stolen in a terrible way.
People who had done the Manson family no wrong at all, just living their lives.
Only my opinion.
Agree 100% Linas.Her being a danger isn't the issue, it's that she didn't serve her full sentence for the viciousness of her crimes. She originally received the Death Penalty. Her cohort Susan Atkins died in prison. That's what she deserved.