| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous |
Ex-Manson follower to ask for release Published Monday, May 20, 2002 By FELISA CARDONA STAFF WRITER Leslie Van Houten plunged a knife into Rosemary La Bianca's dead body 14 times in August 1969. For the last 33 years she's been behind prison walls trying to change the past. But the legacy left by members of Charles Manson's crime family won't likely be forgotten, and there's hardly a soul who can forgive Van Houten for mutilating the 38-year-old woman. On Thursday, San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Bob N. Krug will listen to Van Houten's attorney appeal the state parole board's decision that Van Houten is not suitable for release.**** Van Houten, 52, says she participated in the murders of Rosemary and Leno La Bianca because Manson brainwashed her and caused her to be confused with drugs and sex.**** Manson tied up the La Biancas at their home on Waverly Drive and asked followers Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Van Houten to finish the job. Van Houten said Watson told her to stab Rosemary La Bianca in the back and buttocks after she was dead.**** from http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/articles/0502/20/new02.asp | ||
| Anonymous |
Judge to hear parole plea from Manson follower By Felisa Cardona Staff Writer ***Van Houten, 52, says she participated in the murders of Rosemary and Leno La Bianca because Manson brainwashed her and confused her with drugs and sex when she lived with the Manson group at the Spahn Ranch in the hills above the San Fernando Valley. The former homecoming princess from a middle-class neighborhood in Altadena joined Manson and his band of misfits in the late 1960s and agreed to help with Manson's plan to kill wealthy whites and blame the murders on African-Americans so that he could start a race war.*** The La Bianca murders occurred in Los Feliz one night after actress Sharon Tate and four of her houseguests were similarly murdered in their Benedict Canyon home. Van Houten, 19 at the time, wasn't involved in the Tate murders, but she hasn't been able to shake the stigma of her association with the Manson family and what she did to Rosemary La Bianca's body. Manson tied up the La Biancas at their home on Waverly Drive and asked followers Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Van Houten to finish the job. Van Houten said Watson told her to stab Rosemary La Bianca in the back and buttocks after she was dead. *** A jury found Van Houten guilty in 1971, and she was sentenced to death. During the trial, Van Houten remained loyal to Manson and scratched an X onto her forehead to copy him. Van Houten's death sentence was reversed when a higher court ruled she did not have adequate trial representation. Her 1977 retrial ended in a hung jury. She was tried again in 1978 and convicted in the La Bianca murders, and a judge sentenced her to life in prison but with the possibility of parole. Van Houten eventually renounced Manson and her association with his followers. She has been a model prisoner, earned college degrees and worked as a clerk for a prison supervisor. Still, the Board of Prison Terms has denied her release 14 times. At her last hearing -- in June 2000 -- the parole board issued a two-year denial and suggested that Van Houten needed additional counseling so that she could reflect on her crime. "Ms. Van Houten needs therapy to face, discuss, understand and cope with stress in a nondestructive manner," the board members said in a joint written decision.*** from http://www.dailynews.com/news/articles/0502/20/new09.asp | ||
| Anonymous |
Manson cult member denied parole From correspondents in Los Angeles June 29, 2002 THE youngest member of notorious cult leader Charles Manson's murderous "family" lost her latest bid for freedom today when she was denied parole from her life sentence for murder for the 14th time. Leslie Van Houten, 52, failed to convince the parole board that she was a reformed character, despite expressing her shame over her devotion to Manson and her role in the brutal killing of a Los Angeles couple in 1969. "The prisoner needs continued therapy to further understand the enormity of her life crime, her participation in the crime and the impact this crime has had on the victims," parole commissioner Sharon Lawin said. "Your crimes and the risk factor (if you are released) outweigh your positive programming," Lawin added after hearing that Van Houten had been a model prisoner despite her involvement in one of the most notorious crime gangs in history. Van Houten had sought to be released after having served more than 30 years behind bars for the stabbing murders of grocery store chain owner Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary in their Los Angeles home. :::Van Houten -- Manson's youngest follower -- and fellow "family" members Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel broke into the LaBianca home and carried out a murder which copied the one committed a day earlier in Tate's home. After Manson tied the couple up, Watson stabbed Leno LaBianca while Van Houten and Krenwinkel held his wife down in a bedroom. When they were unable to kill her, Van Houten said, Watson stabbed her with a bayonet and gave Van Houten a knife and ordered her to "do something". She then stabbed the apparently dead woman 14 to 16 times. :::None of the Manson family members have ever obtained parole. Manson himself was denied a 10th bid for release earlier this year. from http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,4602636%255E1702,00.html | ||
| A-jay |
why do you all sound like you are blaiming manson for these murders and him alone?. i dont get it, mansons "family" are as much to blame as he is. Yet ms.Vanhouten is Claiming He Brainwashed Her with drugs and sex, when They went down they all went down together, but now it appears she is trying to save whatever amount of years she has left by blaiming him. IN My opinoin many use manson as a scape goat. | ||
| Anonymous |
Manson is so chicken he had woamen to kill for him. They were such idiots they did it. They should all be put to death. And the public viewing this should see how following people like Manson can get you life in prison or death ........no hope for them, let them all roast in hell.....anon | ||
| Aaron Agassi |
Manson's brainwashing cult techniques should not be underestimated. Similar indoctrination precedes many crimes against humanity. | ||
| Anonymous |
I think leslie van houten and Patricia Krenwinkel should of recieved their parole years ago. They have both been honest about their involvement in events and do not represent a danger to the public. Susan Atkins is almost there but is sometimes evasive about her actual involvement at parole hearings. However i do not believe Susan is anymore a risk to the public than the other two. I do believe the time has come to free all three of them. | ||
| Anonymous |
I`ve heard that Lesley Van Houten has a website. Does anyone have any idea about this? I cannot find it. Please post it if you know. I think she and ONLY she should be released from prison. | ||
| scooty |
no way should any manson killer get out not manson or his former followers mostly the tate-labianca killers.sharon and her unborn baby did not deserve to be savagely cut up like that atkins wrote pig in her blood after they killed her nor did the labiancas deserve to be butchered to death or abigail folger,sebring,steve parent and frykowski .i don't feel a bit sorry for any of those scumbags not after seeing pictures of the bloody crime scene i hope none of them get released | ||
| Anonymous |
I don't feel pity for any of them either. They are just paying for what they did. People need to take responsibility for what they do. And what do they have to complain about? They are all alive. Not so with the people they murdered. | ||
| Anonymous |
All of them should be in prison.So what if some of them have been living decent lives recently. They should still be punished for what they did. I don't think they should just go free. Forget that. I'm sure all of you that think some of them should go free, would be singing a different tune if they had killed one of your loved ones. The entire bunch of them were sick to even listen to that crazy Manson. | ||
| clasione |
Manson site for sale on ebay if anyone is interested www.2violent.com info@longislandexchange.com | ||
| clasione |
here is the link: www.2violent.com | ||
| I was in the courtroom 5 times |
Lets REMEMBER! Lesley Van Houten WAS NOT a `killer`! The FACT is, she did NOT kill anyone!! Period. Yes, she DID in fact stab the woman AFTER she was already dead. While she was under the influence of drugs. (and under the influence of Charlie!) Well- she went to prison for her participation, and she`s been there all these years. SHE has paid for her participation in this awful crime. She, however did not kill anyone, so now after being in prison all these many years,and put in all this time, AND, by the way, has always been a model inmate, she should be relaesed!!! WHY shouldn`t she be? Anyone else would have been by now. Its only because of the case being so famous. | ||
| glenn |
I get tired of the Bull that Leslie Van Houten was Not a Killer. Some people argue she stabbed Rosemary La Bianca 14-16 times, but only after the woman had already been killed by Tex Watson... You forget two very important things: 1) Van Houten detained Mrs. La Biana; she prevented the woman from escaping - in effect, she held Mrs. La Bianca in that home until the other executioners were through killing her husband and were ready for their next victim. 2) Van Houten pinned Mrs. La Bianca down on the floor while Watson stabbed her in the heart. A jury sentenced Van Houten to death 30 years ago, and rightly so. She should be a pile of dust six feet in the ground, like her victim, rather than whining about how she's "changed" and is now ready for the freedom to live and breath that she took from another human being. | ||
| Anonymous |
Thats B.S. She still didn`t do the killing. Yes, she DID hold down the woman, for fear for her life if she didn`t participate. She knew she had to follow the orders of Tex, or she would pay, maybe with her own life. But the fact is, most people in this country that are convicted of murder are released after several years. Well she wasn`t the actual killer, and she remains in prison more than 30 years later! Its only because this case is related to the whole Charles Manson crimes that she`s still in jail. If this case wasn`t so famous, she would have been released LONG ago. Just like other convicts are after they`ve served their time. | ||
| Anonymous |
I agree that Leslie Van Houten is guilty of the LaBianca murders because even she admits on a couple of documentaries that, "When we drove to that LaBianca house, I KNEW death was going to take place." However, I also agree with the other side to the story too. I am disappointed with the Parole Board by telling Ms. Van Houten a different reason for her parole denial each time she appears. They have not been consistent as to what Van Houten should do to win parole. That's why we have parole hearings to start with and the Parole Board should give all who are eligible for parole(and obviously Van Houten has been 14 times)a fair chance to win parole REGARDLESS of how famous or notorious the crime was. I believe the Courts, Judges and Parole Board know Van Houten is NOT a dangerous person who would simply start plotting murders(she didn't even plot those Tate/Labianca murders in 1969--some sick madman did). Rather, the Courts and Parole Board fear the public's reaction if she is released and fear negative publicity toward them by virtue of Van Houten being affiliated with "Manson" whom she is no longer associated with. Also, I bet they fear it could possibly open the door and pave the way for the parole of the other 4 murderers involved --- even Manson himself. MY concern is for Leslie Van Houten's personal well-being if she is released. Is she going to have to watch her back everywhere she goes? Is she going to have to sleep with one eye open every night? Are there any snipers, vigilantes, or hit men waiting for her the minute she steps out of prison? Furthermore, she told the Parole Board that she intends to live with a "FRIEND" and live a quiet life and work if released. That sounds good but I'd like to know who this "FRIEND" is. Is it a young degenerate man whom she plans to shack up with? (That's what got her into the mess she's in to start with---Remember Bobby Mackey?) How is she going to accomplish anything or get any work done with him dragging her back to the bedroom all the time? This will just mess up her mind all over again. (Leslie needs to wait a little while before she starts another love relationship, but that's her business I guess). Leslie is a human being too! Let's be fair about that. There are many other people who have been convicted of murder released on parole and have lived productive lives. I don't know why Leslie would be an exception. She is NOT an instigator of murder like Manson is. She was just a young emotionally disturbed teenager on drugs who was drug into this situation. She's grown up since then. Any decision a Parole Board makes will be liked by one side and disliked by the other. I'm not going to give a yea or neigh but just treat her equally fair and independently of any other applicant. Otherwise, we are just teasing her by telling to be good and you'll be "rewarded". Well, she has been good by doing everything asked of her and more. Let's stop teasing her and messing with her mind like that because that could just mess her mind up all over again. This is how a really feel about all this! | ||
| Anonymous |
That last post was great. I feel its time she was released. She`s done her time for what she did. The rest of them that actually did any killing should never be released. Lesley should be released! There sure are alot of people that get out a lot sooner than this, and they did a lot worse than she did! | ||
| AXL LENNON |
Listen, you pigs. This is a fact: IF SHARON TATE AND JAY SEBRING HAD NOT BEEN CELEBRITIES, THEN MR MANSON WOULD BE FREE TODAY. People, he did not shoot or stab anyone on those 2 nights. He's been locked up for 34 years for being an ACCESSORY to murder? That's unheard of. This was probably the first case ever in the good ol' USA that the MEDIA sent someone to jail. If there would have been no celebrities in that house, then you assholes wouldn't even know who Mr. Manson is. Now, don't get me wrong: WATSON, ATKINS, KRENWINKLE, AND VAN HOUTEN SHOULD NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN. But goddamnit, Charles Manson didn't kill anyone that weekend. That's a fact, piggies. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, WE GOT FUN AND GAMES. | ||
| Anonymous |
To AXL Lennon: Manson "ordered" the killings. That's makes him an accessory whether he killed anyone himself or not. He also was responsible for having tied up the LaBianca's. Again, that makes him an accessory. Look it up in the law books, talk to a lawyer, they'll tell you. Anyone with half a brain will tell you. MANSON WAS AN ACCESSORY TO MURDER! There are countless examples of cases before Manson's crime and after, where people have been convicted of accessory to murder because they drove the getaway car, or they helped hide the body, or they bought the weapon. The point is that Manson was responsible for the murders because he ordered them, orchestrated them, and participated by physically restraining 2 of the victims with rope, thus preventing their escape and any hope of surviging the attack. You may be right (or not) about the celebrity angle but only in that the trial would not have revieved the publicity that it did if the victims had been ordinary citizens or if Sharon Tate hadn't been 8 1/2 months pregnant. Otherwise, due to the cruesomeness of the murders, celebrity victims or not, I firmly believe the outcome would have been the same: a gulty verdict for ALL the defendants, Manson included. If you would stop your pathetic "Poor Charlie" whining long enough to open a history book you would see just how stupid your comments are. Take a look at the Lindberg Kidnapping Case. Now that was a real media circus as was the Scopes Monkey Trial. Both trials were heavily covered by the press that make the O.J. Simpson trial look like a Sunday walk in the park. Both defendants were deemed guilty by the press. And what about Lee Harvey Oswald? Don't you think that if Ruby hadn't killed him the media would have? You need to wake up and smell the coffee. You're are not dealing with a full load of bricks. | ||
| axl lennon |
< Personal insults and needless profanity deleted by the Administrator. > | ||
| Anonymous |
< Personal insults and needless profanity deleted by the Administrator. > | ||
| Anonymous |
LESLEY VAN HOUTEN SHALL BE RELEASED !!!!! SHE`S COMPLETELY INNOCENT !!!! MANSON AND HIS MURDERERS SHALL REMAIN IN PRISON TILL THEY ROT. LESLEY IS NOT A MURDERER AND SHOULD NOT BE IN PRISON. BOTTOM LINE. HAVE A NICE DAY.  | ||
| Anonymous |
I, for one, agree 100% with that last post. She`s already been in prison MUCH longer than she should have been for her involvement. | ||
| Anonymous |
HELLO???????????? Anybody here??? | ||
| MHRN |
Leslie Van Houten at 21 years of age was described by a psychiatrist as being the most dangerous of the three girls. Completely antisocial. He also claimed that she was the least influenced by Manson. She participated willingly and with thought to the consequences. Yes she has been turned down at parole whereas others in her situation have been granted parole. However I like to think that the parole board is the safety net that weeds out those that are dangerous. Dangerous meaning that some people are born that way and you can not rehab a personality component. Anyway I am interested in reading anything recent on these people. Anyone know were? I'm getting tired of people who mouth off yet have no real knowledge of the crimes. Try reading something informative before offering opinions. It frightens me that some of these people can vote! Leslie Van Houten was convicted of MURDER. She herself said that mrs LaBianco may have been alive when she stabbed her. Does it really matter? The intent was the same. | ||
| Anonymous |
OF COURSE IT MATTERS!!! SHE, HERSELF STABBED THE DEAD BODY ONLY BECAUSE SHE WAS ORDERED TO DO SO. SHE IS NOT THE ONE WHO KILLED HER. ALSO, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT INFO THAT LESLEY WAS ``ANTI SOCIAL`?? THATS A REAL CROCK! SHE MAY HAVE BEEN INTROVERTED CONCERNING THIS CASE BACK THEN (PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AND BRAINWASHING), BUT LESLEY WAS NEVER AN ANTI SOCIAL PERSON IN GENERAL. JUST THE EXACT OPPOSITE! SHE WAS THE MOST POPULAR GIRL, HOMECOMING QUEEN, MISS CONGENIALITY, MISS POPULAR, ETC. ETC. ETC. THE GIRL WAS THE EXTREME OPPOSITE OF ANTI SOCIAL!!! NOT TO MENTION THAT SHE CAME FROM A NICE FAMILY AND FROM A UPPER-CLASS FAMILY AND BACKROUND. AND THE LEAST LIKELY OF YOUNG GIRLS TO GET HERSELF INVOLVED WITH THESE BLOOD THIRSTY ROBOTS OF CHARLES MANSON. DO RESEARCH. SUSAN ATKINS AND CHARLES WATSON WERE ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE MOST DANGEROUS. | ||
| MHRN |
Have you ever read a book titled the Psychiatric Diagnostic and Statistics Manual, 4th edition? It is the psychiatry bible and will be a medical research book found anywhere that deals with mental health. Every good mental health professional has one! There is actually a medically acknowledged group of people termed personality disorders and there are several different kind. Anti-social personality disorder does fit Leslie. Read it and please comment. It may take me some time to get back to you as I have a small child. I have done my research! I think the most dangerous of them all was Lynette Fromme. ( Squeaky ) She is currently serving a life sentence for pulling a gun on President Gerald Ford!!!! I can't help but notice your anger in your reply. I don't profess to having an emotional attachment to this case. I do research on serial killers. What is your stake in this? | ||
| Anonymous |
Free Lesley. Its time for her to be released. | ||
| Anonymous |
Its not fair that she should be wasting her ENTIRE life in prison when murderers---people who killed people with their own hand are let out of prison every day in this country. They serve their time and after a few years they are set free. the same should go to Lesley! | ||
| MHRN |
It appears that the details of the crime become an issue at parole hearings even if the parole board members are to remain objective. I personally hope that those circumstances are an event are hearings. Also Lesley should have been executed if not for changing California law. Most parole boards want reports on parole applicants before they interview them. No doubt Lesley has been evaluated by any psychologist, Psychiatrist, or social worker who could get near her as she is a superstar of forensic culture. Maybe these professionals that we rely on to keep us safe from what goes bump in the night have reported some not so nice things about the workings of Lesleys mind. ( Dr. Joel Hochman, Court appointed psychiatrist 1971. With regard to Lesley Van Houten, who of the three girls was least commited to Manson, yet she still murdered for him, I fear that she may grow harder and tougher; I have very little hope for her eventual rehabilitation.) I am writing from Australia. Is there a maximum of years served for a life sentence there? I believe in England there is as some Human Rights group got involved in the Myra Hindly case and found it unconstitutional that she be detained any longer than 2004 and the british government were going to have to release her. Tough luck to kack it with 1 year to go. Guess Rosemary West is hanging alone these days. | ||
| Anonymous |
Here's a Tip: If you don't want to sit in prison for 30 or 40 years - and then whine that you should be free - then don't go out and kill people, and don't hang around with other people that are weak enough to go out on killing sprees because they think some sick little lifetime convict is God ... | ||
| Glenn |
To Axl Lennon et all: Keep this in mind: - Adolf Hitler didn't personally kill anyone. - Osama bin Laden didn't personally kill anyone. - Tojo in Japan or all the Nuremburg Nazis who were hanged didn't personally kill anyone... - Mafia leaders don't personally kill anyone. By your reasoning I guess they are all innocent and should enjoy freedom !!!!! | ||
| Anonymous |
You can`t hardly compare these murder-minded morons with an innocent young teen-ager that gets hooked up with the trash and the wrong people such as Manson`s group...keep in mind that she was influenced while on LSD and threatened with her own life to cooperate with Watson on this night. She was and is NOT like the blood-thirsty Susan Atkins and Tex Watson...they loved participating, and Atkins even bragged about it for years in prison. These people should never get out. Lesley has already paid her dues and should be free, just like anyone else is freed in a situation like hers. Period. | ||
| Glenn |
Van Houten should have been fried in the electric chair 30 years ago, before many Americans were even born. She is extremely lucky to even be breathing - let alone to be whining about where she is breathing ... | ||
| Anonymous |
Well, ``Glenn``... you obviously don`t know the facts, do you. She didn`t kill anyone, and she`s been in prison long enough for her participation in this cult group. If this wasn`t the famous Manson case, she would have been released long, long ago. | ||
| Glenn |
Well, "Anonymous" ... you obviously don't know the law, do you? Here's what Van Houten did: Held Mrs. Bianca captive in the home while Watson killed Mr. Bianca ... then pinned Mrs. Bianca to the floor while Watson killed her ... and then stabbed her corpse multiple times ... Van Houten's actions are IDENTICAL, in law, to stopping Mrs. Bianca's heart herself ... which is why she was originally sentenced to Death ... | ||
| Anonymous |
Like `Anonymous` said, if this wasn`t the infamous Manson case and so well known as it is, she would have been released long ago. She should have been let out a long time ago anyway, in my opinion. Other people who have done alot worse than she did are released after several years. | ||
| Glenn |
