Leslie Van Houten 2013 Parole

Freedom for Leslie Van Houten parole 2013

Darrel Dugger

Freedom for Leslie Van Houten parole 2013

Eligible for parole again in July 2013 Leslie Van Houten will be attending her 20th parole hearing. Leslie Van Houten, now resides at California Institution for Women at Frontera, after her conviction of murder and conspiracy in the August 1969 killings of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca(CokerTue). “She was one of those notorious "Manson girls" who shaved their heads, carved X's in their foreheads and laughed, joked, and sang their way through the courthouse straight to death row without the slightest trace of remorse forty years ago.”(Waters J.). Leslie was 19 years old at the time of the murders.

Leslie Louise Van Houten was born on August 23, 1949 in Los Angeles, California. She was raised in a typical middle class household. Like many young people in that era, during her teenage years Leslie began experimenting with drugs. She also began to question the ways of the world around her. After graduating high school in 1967 Leslie went on to attend Business College. In the summer of 1968, Leslie was visiting friends in San Francisco. She began traveling with them, and in September they took her to meet Charles Manson at Spahn's Movie Ranch. She returned to the ranch three weeks later, this time she didn't leave. Like others in the family, Leslie became dedicated to Charlie. According to Van Houten, "I was absolutely intrigued and mesmerized by Manson and I believed that he was someone very special and extraordinary"( leslie). Manson showed little interest in Leslie. He never gave her a special family name and immediately after her arrival he assigned her to be Tex Watsons' "girl." The lack of attention from Manson made Leslie strive to prove worth. She had the opportunity on August 10, 1969, she accepted (Montaldo).

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Leslie is far from the same person she was in 1969. Van Houten, 62, has been described by her supporters and prison staff as a model inmate. She is working as a college tutor while studying for her master's degree in humanities and has not had one prison infraction on her record in more than 40 years. She claims to be fully rehabilitated, citing exemplary behavior during her four decades in prison and a psychiatric assurance that she is no longer a danger to society (Killoran). Leslie maintains hallucinogens, and Charles influence caused her to participation in 1969 (Montaldo). “Leslie formally denounced Manson and feels "very, very deep remorse."” (Netter) “Van Houten called Manson "an opportunist of the cruelest, most vicious kind," but she was quick to emphasize that she accepts blame for her role in the crimes” (Morgenstein). “More than a century ago, in 1870, leaders in American corrections, meeting with their international colleagues in Cincinnati, Ohio, first developed principles stating the beliefs and values underlying the practice of their profession. As a result of this meeting, the National Prison Association was founded, an organization that has subsequently evolved into the American Correctional Association. The foresight of these leaders' thinking over 130 years ago is evident in this brief excerpt from that document: We believe that these principles of HUMANITY, JUSTICE, PROTECTION, OPPORTUNITY, KNOWLEDGE, COMPETENCE and ACCOUNTABILITY are essential to the foundation of sound corrections policy and effective public protection. Opportunity for positive change or "reformation" is basic to the concept of corrections because punishment without the opportunity for redemption is unjust and ineffective. Hope is a prerequisite for the offender's restoration to responsible membership in society.” (ACA). Leslie Van Houten has been reformed. She deserved to go to prison for her actions in 1969 and now it is time for her to have her freedom. Leslie deserves her opportunity for redemption.

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References

ACA (2002) American Corrections Association Preamble ACA.ORG Retrieved on August 23, 2012 from http://www.aca.org/pastpresentfuture/principles.asp

Bardsley, M. (n.d.) Charles Manson and the Manson Family trutv.com Retrieved August 24, 2012 from http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/manson/26.html

CokerTue, M. (2010, July 6) Leslie Van Houten Denied Parole for 19th Time blogs.ocweekly.com Retrieved August 23, 2012 from

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2010/07/leslie_van_houten_parole_heari.php...

Killoran, E. (2012, April 9) Charles Manson Parole 2012: At 77, Notorious Criminal Still Has Family Of Supporters ibtimes.com. Retrieved August 23, 2012 from http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/325654/20120409/charles-manson-parole-2012-murde... Van Houten

leslie (n.d.) cielodrive.com Retrieved August 24, 2012 from http://www.cielodrive.com/leslie-van-houten.php

Linder, C. (2008) The Charles Manson (Tate-LaBianca Murder) Trial: The Defendents law2.umkc.edu Retrieved August 24, 2012 from http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/manson/mansondefendants.html

Montaldo, C. Leslie Van Houten About.com Retrieved August 23, 2012 from http://crime.about.com/od/murder/p/leslievanhouten.htm

Morgenstein, M. (2010, July 06) PAROLE BOARD

Manson family member Van Houten denied parole again CNN Retrieved August 24, 2012 from http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-06/justice/manson.family.parole_1_manson-family-...

Netter, S. (2010, July 6) Leslie Van Houten Denied Parole for Role in Manson Murders abcnews.go.com Retrieved August 23, 2012 from http://abcnews.go.com/US/charles-manson-follower-leslie-van-houten-parole/story?...

Waters, J. (2009, August 3) Leslie Van Houten: A Friendship huffingtonpost.com Retrieved August 23, 2012 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-waters/leslie-van-houten-a-frien_b_246953.htm...

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