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Manson Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi Says Susan Atkins' Exact Role in Tate Murders Unclear
Los Angeles Times ^ | 9/26/09 | Andrew Blankstein

Posted on 09/27/2009 11:04:02 PM PDT by nickcarraway

With the death of Manson follower Susan Atkins, the man who prosecuted her for first-degree murder said Friday that one of his lasting images was that of a "heartless, bloodthirsty robot."

Vincent Bugliosi, however, said that image has become more ambiguous with the passage of time.

Atkins, who died Friday, played a central role in the 1969 slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and others in a two-night rampage in the Los Angeles area. She later said she killed Tate even as the woman pleaded for mercy.

It's possible it will never be known exactly what happened inside the home in Bel Air that night. And though Bugliosi said he has questions about Atkins' specific actions that night, it had nothing to do with her legal culpability.

"She's still guilty of first-degree murder as an aider and abettor and co-conspirator. If we were back in 1971, I would still seek the death penalty against her. She was a very hard-core member of the Manson family who was willing to do his bidding."

Atkins had given conflicting statements around the time of her trial, Bugliosi said. Still another version is found in the book by Charles "Tex" Watson, the main killer in both the Tate and LaBianca murders.

Watson said that Atkins boasted about killing Tate and her unborn baby to get attention but that Atkins actually held her down while he stabbed her.

"It was my hand that struck out over and over until the cries of 'mother, mother' stopped," Watson wrote.

Atkins told two cellmates after her arrest for the murder of Manson family associate Gary Hinman that she stabbed Tate telling her, "Look, bitch, I don't have any mercy for you." She repeated the claim to Bugliosi the night before he called her before a grand jury.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: bugliosi; crime; manson; murder; murderer; sharontate; susanatkins; tate
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1 posted on 09/27/2009 11:04:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

No sorrow for the passing of this woman.. only prayers for her soul.

She was there... she was part of the plan ...and she did nothing to save these poor people who were brutally murdered.
Guilty.


2 posted on 09/27/2009 11:08:28 PM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: nickcarraway

When Bugliosi came out wanting to try President Bush on murder charges, I lost all respect for him.


3 posted on 09/27/2009 11:12:12 PM PDT by DakotaRed (What happened to the country I fought for?)
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To: nickcarraway
"Watson said that Atkins boasted about killing Tate and her unborn baby to get attention but that Atkins actually held her down while he stabbed her."

She was still guilty of murder. I don't know what the point of this article is.

4 posted on 09/27/2009 11:14:28 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: DakotaRed
"When Bugliosi came out wanting to try President Bush on murder charges, I lost all respect for him."

That's one I haven't heard. Could you please send a reference.

5 posted on 09/27/2009 11:26:21 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: nickcarraway

The details aren’t really important. What’s important is that she, and some of the others involved, have been remorseful, and have become Christians. And denying any of them parole has been the right decision.


6 posted on 09/27/2009 11:35:17 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan (In Edward KennedyÂ’s America, federal funding of brothels is a right, not a privilege.)
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To: nickcarraway
Manson Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi Says Susan Atkins' Exact Role in Tate Murders Unclear

I'd hate to think that uncertainty could cost her a position on Ted Kennedy's staff in Hell.

7 posted on 09/27/2009 11:36:44 PM PDT by South40 (Islam has a long tradition of tolerance, ~Hussein Obama, June 4, 2009, Cairo, Egypt)
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To: antceecee

Not only that have you ever read her testimony that she gave at the trial? What the he** is unclear about that. Just another liberal liar trying to muddy the waters. Why, I don’t know since she is dead now.


8 posted on 09/27/2009 11:39:59 PM PDT by calex59 (FUBO, we want our constitution back and we intend to get it!)
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To: Arthur McGowan
The details aren’t really important. What’s important is that she, and some of the others involved, have been remorseful, and have become Christians. And denying any of them parole has been the right decision.

You really think God has forgiven these murderous scum? I beg to differ, she is in he** now getting her reward. You can't slaughter people, turn Christian and then expect to be forgiven and get into heaven.

9 posted on 09/27/2009 11:42:53 PM PDT by calex59 (FUBO, we want our constitution back and we intend to get it!)
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To: calex59

Can she still vote in California?


10 posted on 09/27/2009 11:44:43 PM PDT by UCANSEE2
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To: All

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/manson/confess_4.html

SNIPPET: “Courtroom footage is available for this story for license and/or purchase from the IN SESSION archives – click here.”

By Marilyn Bardsley
“Confession”

SNIPPET: “Atkins went on to explain that they selected the Tate house because it was isolated. Susan said they knew who the owner was but they didn’t know or care who would be at the house that night.

Susan explained...”

SNIPPET: “Frykowski ran for the door. “He was full of blood,” she said and claimed that she had stabbed him three or four times. “He was bleeding and he ran to the front part, and would you believe that he was there hollering ‘Help, help, somebody please help me,’ and nobody came? Then we finished him off.”

“Sharon was the last to die,” Susan said with a laugh as she described how Sharon was begging her, “ Please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I want to have my baby. I want to have my baby.”

Susan said she just looked at Sharon straight in the eye and said, “Look, bitch, I don’t care about you. I don’t care if you’re going to have a baby. You had better be ready. You’re going to die and I don’t feel anything about it...In a few minutes I killed her.”

Susan said she saw that there was Sharon’s blood on her hand and she tasted it. “Wow, what a trip! To taste death, and yet give life.”

Flabbergasted, Virginia asked Susan if it didn’t bother her to kill a pregnant woman.

“I thought you understood. I loved her, and in order for me to kill her I was killing part of myself when I killed her,” Susan explained. She had wanted to cut out Sharon’s baby but there wasn’t enough time. She had also wanted to take out all the victims’ eyes and squash them against the walls and cut off and mutilate all of their fingers, but they didn’t have the chance.”


11 posted on 09/27/2009 11:47:04 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: calex59

There is only one unforgiveable sin, according to the Bible. Murder isn’t it.

Of course I can’t judge whether any murderer’s repentance is real, and I do believe they should get the death penalty. God however knows whether repentance is real.


12 posted on 09/27/2009 11:54:20 PM PDT by Marie2 (The second mouse gets the cheese.)
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To: calex59

Well, actually, the bible says you can.


13 posted on 09/27/2009 11:56:43 PM PDT by bubbacluck
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To: blackbart.223

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vincent-bugliosi/the-prosecution-of-george_b_102427.html

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080707/story

http://www.amazon.com/Prosecution-George-W-Bush-Murder/dp/159315481X

If you are interested in his book, “The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder,” check you local Dollar Store. That’s where I obtained my copy.


14 posted on 09/27/2009 11:57:02 PM PDT by DakotaRed (What happened to the country I fought for?)
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To: liege

No, actually it doesn’t say that.


15 posted on 09/28/2009 12:00:20 AM PDT by calex59 (FUBO, we want our constitution back and we intend to get it!)
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To: calex59

If SHE can’t receive the salvation bought and paid for by the blood of Christ, then Christ himself is a liar and Christianity is a sham.


16 posted on 09/28/2009 12:02:09 AM PDT by DryFly
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To: nickcarraway

Gee, all we know is several people were murdered and by all appearances they got the right killers. snort


17 posted on 09/28/2009 12:04:21 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: calex59
You can't slaughter people, turn Christian and then expect to be forgiven and get into heaven.

Jesus died for sinners...

18 posted on 09/28/2009 12:05:50 AM PDT by latina4dubya ( self-proclaimed tequila snob)
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To: blackbart.223
Bugliosi book on Bush

Bugliosi was on C-SPAN2 In Depth last year discussing all his books. It was pretty fascinating. Yes, he had very strong opinions about Bush. One of his latest books was on the Kennedy assassination and he displayed an encyclopedic knowledge of every facet of the case as he destroyed every conspiracy theory that was thrown at him.

19 posted on 09/28/2009 12:14:18 AM PDT by wideminded
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To: calex59

They will try to glorify her as unjustly accused... that seems to be the direction they are going. I lived through that time... young people who did not will swallow their revisionist stories.


20 posted on 09/28/2009 12:21:45 AM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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