# Should Charles Manson be released? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 5, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920 "2012-04-05T16:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/42 "2012-04-05T19:29:43Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > (The brutality and evil of the Tate-LaBianca murders, while horrible, are not really evidence that Manson is still dangerous _today_). Why not? What day exactly did they cease to be evidence? The day after they were committed? Ten years later? Yesterday? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/43 "2012-04-05T19:31:03Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > That’s a throwback from the liberal 60’s/70’s. The parole system in most states has evolved since then. Today, even states without the death penalty, they would have given him life without parole, the end! > > Manson has never, ever shown any signs of remorse or any indication that he could function properly as a productive member of society. And even if he did, so what?😕 Changing into what you’re suppose to be in the first place doesn’t always negate what you did. What Manson did merits him sitting in prison until he draws his last. > > Like I posted before: Manson already got a reprieve. He was spared the death penalty when SCOTUS made a flawed ruling in the 70’s. Why should he also be spared from prison? Manson should never have been eligible for a life sentence, with or without parole. There’s absolutely no indication that he can live peacefully with other humans. He’s ALWAYS going to try to manipulate people to do his bidding. What’s more, he sees nothing wrong with what he’s done, or with what he wants to do in the future. Manson is DANGEROUS, whether he’s inside or outside a cell. We, as a society, can limit the danger to the rest of us more effectively if we keep him locked up. If we turn him loose, even on parole, he’s more likely to cause harm to the rest of us. Keeping him locked up is at least partly self-defense. Executing him would be more effective, but that’s not going to happen. We also need to send a message that some crimes don’t get do-overs, they don’t get forgiven. Of course, Manson is so batshit crazy (to use the technical term) that he won’t ever get this, but so many, many people seem to think that saying “I’m sorry” will always get forgiveness that we need to show that sometimes being sorry isn’t enough. Sometimes, people can learn from their mistakes and become better people. Manson doesn’t think that he is in the wrong, and refuses to learn better. He’s broken, and he can’t be fixed, no matter what we do. Our best option is to leave him in the slammer until he dies. It’s a pity that we even have to give him parole hearings. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/44 "2012-04-05T20:15:00Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > It’s a pity that we even have to give him parole hearings. Given that we do, the next best thing would be for every member of the parole board to sit there reading the newspaper or surfing the web or whatever for the duration of the hearing, taking a few seconds to vote “NO”, and drowning out any complaints with loud chatter about the latest baseball game or _Daily Show_ episode or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/45 "2012-04-05T20:16:59Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Given that we do, the next best thing would be for every member of the parole board to sit there reading the newspaper or surfing the web or whatever for the duration of the hearing, taking a few seconds to vote “NO”, and drowning out any complaints with loud chatter about the latest baseball game or _Daily Show_ episode or whatever. I don’t approve of this. If you have a procedure, you take it seriously no matter who it is. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/46 "2012-04-05T20:39:30Z")
Well I’ll be a dissenter. He has served the time and should be released. Straight into compulsory scheduled psychiatric care for the rest of his life. I’ve watched the parole hearings, and the man is not sane, probably never was. As far as I understand prison is for people that are ruled mentally competent to be responsible for their actions. I don’t think he ever was, he’s living in a pretty far gone delusional psychosis, and he should be in a mental health institution, not a prison. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/47 "2012-04-05T20:50:21Z")
Seeing as he would presumably be released into my city, which is where he goes for his parole board hearings and where he was arrested, tried, and convicted, I say “hell no!”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/48 "2012-04-05T20:52:54Z")
> [@ZooHoot](#): > > Did he actually kill anyone? Yes. > [@Wiki](#): > > In a 1971 trial that took place after his Tate/LaBianca convictions, Manson was found guilty of the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shea and was given a life sentence. Shea was a Spahn Ranch stuntman and horse wrangler who had been killed approximately 10 days after the August 16, 1969, sheriff’s raid on the ranch. Manson, who suspected that Shea helped set up the raid, had apparently believed Shea was trying to get Spahn to run the Family off the ranch. Manson may have considered it a “sin” that the white Shea had married a black woman; and there was the possibility that Shea knew about the Tate/LaBianca killings. [Wiki link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#First_offenses) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/49 "2012-04-05T21:17:44Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Well I’ll be a dissenter. He has served the time and should be released. > > Straight into compulsory scheduled psychiatric care for the rest of his life. I’ve watched the parole hearings, and the man is not sane, probably never was. As far as I understand prison is for people that are ruled mentally competent to be responsible for their actions. > > I don’t think he ever was, he’s living in a pretty far gone delusional psychosis, and he should be in a mental health institution, not a prison. I’d argue he should be in both. But I think that of all violent mental illness patients. They are still a danger to society until they are mentally sane. And I just really don’t want them in with the regular mentally ill who did not commit crimes. And I’m not sure I can agree that the guy was so mentally ill as to not be able to be responsible for his actions. Getting other people to kill for you takes a lot of planning and thought that I don’t think the typical schizophrenic could muster. He may have been delusional, but he maintained enough rational thought to get people hooked on drugs so they would be willing to kill for him. And we don’t excuse the killers for the insanity caused by their drug addictions, now do we? ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/50 "2012-04-05T21:26:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Try reading _Helter Skelter_ and THEN come back and tell us that there’s no evidence he doesn’t deserve what he got. What’s the straight dope on that book anyway? Did Manson and his gang really do what they did because of the whole “apocalyptic-race-war/Beatles-misinterpretation” thing? There must have been dozens of books published on the case since 1974, so I’m wondering: Has Bugliosi’s book stood the test of time, or is it, by now, obsolete? ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/51 "2012-04-05T21:29:18Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > No no no no no, Charlie is indeed [a cell phone kind of guy](http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379374,00.asp). OMG! That’s more ammo to the argument that Charlie should die in prison. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/52 "2012-04-05T21:38:46Z")
Also, there are still probably some weak minded, or crazy people who would consider making Charles Manson their motivational speaker, or guru of choice. He is not incapable of doing more harm, even at his age. Hopefully he will stay locked up. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/53 "2012-04-05T21:39:37Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > These are fair points, but to play the devil’s advocate (almost literally): What of it? Even if Manson is still an evil bastard, what the hell is he going to _do_ about it? And if all he’s going to do is mutter on the street and be creepy, is preventing this worth the cost and bother of incarceration? Let’s try this the other way. His victims are dead and have no chance of a “reprieve”–they can’t be brought back to life. Why should Manson (or any other murderer) get a reprieve? ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/54 "2012-04-05T21:39:51Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > OMG! That’s more ammo to the argument that Charlie should die in prison. Agreed. He’s still got plenty of fans/followers/whatever on the outside. Mostly “true crime” enthusiasts, I’d guess - harmless geeks with a taste for morbidity. Like these guys who just released [a split 7" EP with two brand new songs by Charlie himself](http://withdrawalrecords.bigcartel.com/product/ancient-vvidsom-charles-manson-inner-earth-inferno-one-sided-split-lp). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/55 "2012-04-05T21:39:59Z")
> [@florez](#): > > Hopefully he will stay locked up. Since he’s shunning the parole process and not trying to get out, I think the odds he’ll be released are essentially zero. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/56 "2012-04-05T21:52:04Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Well I’ll be a dissenter. He has served the time and should be released. He hasn’t served the time. He was sentenced to death, then was commuted to life in prison. He’s still alive, so his sentence continues. Parole is the supervised release of a prisoner before the completion of their sentence. No one is _entitled_ to parole, least of all this maggot. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/57 "2012-04-05T22:57:18Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > He hasn’t served the time. He was sentenced to death, then was commuted to life in prison. He’s still alive, so his sentence continues. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. His release on parole should be considered. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/58 "2012-04-05T22:59:29Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. His release on parole should be considered. Why should Charles Manson be released on parole? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/59 "2012-04-05T23:00:30Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. His release on parole should be considered. No, he originally received the death penalty, however the death penalty was abolished in California, so his sentence reverted to life with possibility of parole. Of course, there’s no way he’ll ever see the light of day. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/60 "2012-04-05T23:01:11Z")
> [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](#): > > Why should Charles Manson be released on parole? Please note my posts earlier in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920/61 "2012-04-05T23:02:19Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > No, he originally received the death penalty, however the death penalty was abolished in California, so his sentence reverted to life with possibility of parole. Yes, **Guin**. Thank you for the detail. I certainly am totally ignorant of the case and had no idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-charles-manson-be-released/617920.md?page=4)