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Handout / Reuters
Bruce Davis is shown in undated photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
LOS ANGELES -- California Governor Jerry Brown denied parole on Friday for a member of the Manson family who was sentenced to life in prison for two 1969 murders carried out with other members of the cult, saying that he remained a danger to the public.
In rejecting parole for Bruce Davis, 70, Brown reversed the decision of a California parole board that found him eligible for release after his 27th parole hearing last October.
"As our Supreme Court has acknowledged, in rare circumstances, a murder is so heinous that it provides evidence of current dangerousness by itself," the governor wrote in his six-page decision. "This is such a case."
Brown commended Davis for his efforts to improve himself during his four decades behind bars, including earning degrees in religion and philosophy, leading counseling groups and teaching Bible classes.
But he said the convicted killer had continued to minimize the extent of his involvement and leadership in the Manson Family, a collection of runaways and outcasts brought together by ex-convict Charles Manson whose spree of killings horrified the nation in the late 1960s.
"Until he can acknowledge and explain why he actively championed the Family's interests, and shed more light on the nature of his involvement, I am not prepared to release him," the governor wrote.
Davis has been serving a life sentence in a California state prison since his 1972 conviction for the murders of music teacher Gary Hinman, who was stabbed to death in July 1969, and stunt man Donald "Shorty" Shea, who was killed the following month. He was arrested in 1970 after nearly a year on the run.
'Helter Skelter'
Manson became one of the 20th century's most infamous criminals in the summer of 1969, when he directed his mostly young, female followers to murder seven people in what prosecutors said was part of a plan to incite a race war between whites and blacks.
Among the victims was actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski. She was stabbed 16 times by members of the cult in the early morning hours of Aug. 9, 1969.
Four other people were also stabbed or shot to death at Tate's home that night by the Manson followers, who scrawled the word "Pig" in blood on the front door before leaving.
The following night, Manson's group stabbed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca to death, using their blood to write "Rise," "Death to Pigs" and "Healter Skelter" - a misspelled reference to the Beatles song "Helter Skelter" - on the walls and refrigerator door.
Davis did not take part in those murders.
Manson was originally sentenced to death but was spared execution after the California Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972.
Now 78, he is serving a life sentence at Corcoran State Prison for the seven Tate-LaBianca killings and the murder of Hinman. He has been repeatedly denied parole.
Steve Grogan, a Manson family member who was convicted of murdering Shea at Manson's direction, was released in the mid-1980s.
Davis was previously granted parole in 2010 but remained incarcerated after that decision was reversed by then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
I thought Moonbeam would have jumped at the chance to let one of these creeps out.
Maybe that should tell you something about your "thinking" process.
These parole hearings are a complete waste of tax dollars. "Life" should mean life.
It had no choice, the public backlash, thanks to the age of the internet, would have seared it.
But giving him any kind of marks for it is dishonest. It would be like giving a republican credit for voting for a law against child molesting when he truned around and voted to allow 12 year olds to work in catholic labor camps.
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Paroling such an infamouns criminal is politically unpalatable. However, Brown has already allowed over 329 murderers to walk. Libtards are undoubtably soft on violent criminals.
I agree with FlatIron 720; this person was sentenced to "life in prison" for committing a heinous crime. His life is not yet over, so he should stay in jail until its is.
That psychotic, Manson, got 44 more years of life than Sharon Tate and all the rest. I remember getting halfway through Vince Bugliosi's Helter Skelter, putting the book down and crying. That was a terrible time in U.S. history. I hope we have learned something from that time period about cults.
@Flatiron720 has it right.. Life should damn well MEAN life! If you take another person's life and are found guilty by a jury of your peers then the punishment should fit the crime! It's bad enough Grogan was released.. He killed an old man for no reason except that 'Charlie' told him too! Disgusting scum of the earth, all of them and they should ALL remain behinds bars until they are dead..
If the parole board found him eligible it should be none of Browns damn business.
If Grogan could be released after such a short time, this man also deserves his freedom. All of you who support his continued incarceration should have your income taxed an additional 10% to support such idiocy. Someone must pay for this, and I do NOT wish to do so!
Your attitudes are severely defective! This is the reason the USA has a far higher percentage of our citizens incarcerated than any other world nation, including China, Iran, North Korea, Iraq, Vietnam, Yemen, Laos, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Myanmar, Pakistan, etc. You idiots pay for this, but DON'T make me pay after adequate pumishmemt has been accomplished.
And, they can all go and live with you.
Thomas Jefferson recommended that those found guilty of murder should be taken to the hanging tree the following morning....Screw parole boards, stretch their (murders) necks from the highest limb.
EXACTLY !! ( and SAVE the honest, law-abiding taxpayer from PAYING to keep the sob alive ! )
Maybe if all those countries you just named actually did a little something more about criminal activity running rampant there wouldn't be so much civil unrest there. Instead they're all busy bombing each other and staging anarchy.
The only way this piece of filth should be released is the same way Susan Atkins was released!! (Look it up!)
Something wrong with my thinking process?
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I did not vote Jerry Brown back into office. I have not voted for any of the liberal whack jobs that come from my home state of California.
I AM totally surprised he doesn't let every criminal walk, that IS his constituents. Sorry if the truth offends you...
Some think part of imprisonment is atonement, the other rehabilitation. I would chide any to cite any chances whatsoever of rehabilitation in such an environment; however, I would also feel as strongly that it does the opposite and hardens many through abuse, etc... . Therefore, I don't feel that Scooby and Shaggy should do time by breaking the law with marijuana.
That being said, this judge is being PC palatable and is utterly full of it when citing 'still a dangerous person to release in society'. Say it for what it is; people want him to pay for his crime until dead, and the judge and Arnie (at the time) agreed either in public postulence or with it befitting the crime. I don't argue that, but given drugs, circumstances, and time gone by..... not involved to make any determination on him there, but do find it disturbing that obviously blunt honesty can't even be expected from the mouths of Our Justices. People want him to pay and stay; this has naught whatsoever to do with 'remaining a danger'. That's an insult to intelligence.
Politics, politics..... both ends of the Donkephant need to go. Why isn't this thing extinct yet?
Why have the rights of the people who have raped, beaten, murdered and or tortured other people become more important than their victims???????Just because some of them were MURDERED does NOT mean that their rights should be ignored! ALL people who have malisciously hurt someone or raped, or murdered should be PUT TO DEATH!!!WHERE is the JUSTICE???When the prisoners have the Best medical care or they cry "my rights have been violated" BULL&*^%!!! Pick your poison inmates, Hanging, Ole" Sparky, I like ole' sparky myself. I would love to spray Pam on the chair to keep him from sticking!!
Imprisoned for forty years, what has this cost the tax payer just for "one" of those crazy people? That is what is wrong with the justice system. They should have been put to death many years ago. They get 3 hots and a cot, free medical, free dental and free schooling for "life". Sure they may not walk around on the outside but why would they want to, they do not have to work or pay taxes, they do not have to pay for anything. Bring back public execution and so people that heinous crimes are not going to tolerated, then maybe we will not have these crazies walking into schools and shooting innocent children.
Who the hell are you to say what is "adequate?" Also, I'm sick and tired of the incarceration rate statistics being brought up. Those countries have less criminals in prison becuase they simply execute the worst offenders. At least they actually serve jusitce rather than catering to the desires of bleeding heart moonbats.
K kadiddlehoper, the reason places like North Korea and China have fewer citizens incarcerated is because they kill them instead of incarcerate them, dip@!$%#!
Too bad we don't live in the United States anymore - at least the US that was created by geniuses like Thomas Jefferson. Instead we get *ssholes like Obama who think they can either ignore the Constitution and Bill of Rights or re-write it to suit their own agenda.
ever wonder why; Lady Justice is Blindfolded ??..wake-up; Blind Justice is alive/well & stupid......
The lot of them should have been executed years ago.
executing apieceofshiiittt, is nothing more than sending defective equipment back to the manufacturer.
Way to go Jer...didn't think you had it in you. You surprising old phart; you actually did something as a governor: you stared down a killer and a parole board both having at times the same outcome. Once a killer ; always a killer but you stepped up and JUST SAID "NO." thank you for keeping that POS off the street and thank you for showing the parole board how to use that word.
An individual who kills two or more people should NEVER be granted parole.
Two or more????? WTF! I would think ONE would be plenty enough to put your butt behind bars for life!
2 or more! How bout just one! Bet you wouldnt think so lightly if it was your daughter, son, brother, sister, mother or father (or any blood for that matter). You kill an innoccent, then you should suffer in prison or die like the worthless piece of @!$%# your are! fukrs shoulda burned along time ago!
Yeah, two or more.
We'll get tough on crime by giving them a Group Rate.
I remember as a young boy (10yrs. old) hearing about the Manson family murders. People that do what they did don't EVER deserve to be out on the streets with the rest of us..... Thank you Governor for not releasing him from jail.
Judging by the smirk on his face, he looks like he enjoys little boys.....@!$%#ing old mental case!!
You can tell a child molestor by the smirk on their face?
Wow. That Detective School is really paying off, huh?
LIFE IN PRISON.... means... LIFE IN PRISON! Your punishment! Live with it! Because there was a time when you would have been executed. Do the crime... do the time!
Good call Governor, They need to know LIFE MEANS LIFE!! But they all should have been put to sleep..
Wonder how much it has costs us taxpapers to support the "Manson Family" all these years? Perhaps California should start practicing some good Ol' Texas law and put down convicted murders within 2 to 5 years of their conviction.
Good post, I agree with you, Texas law and justice, they did not deserve to live after such a horrible crime.
. . . there's a reason most of us don't live in Texas. 'nuff said.
Hey dufuss, check how many businesses are, MORON!!!!!!
Ohfer STFU, ill bet anything your one of those gay libs!! If we got rid of the aholes after there awful crimes we wouldnt have to feed them, house them, ect... & we wouldnt have to worry about them getting out & repeating crimes. Texas absolutly has the right idea you numb nut!! I wish all states would adopt more of their laws, although if i thought they would kill more fa#s like you id say lettem out!!!
"Jeepers," re-read the article. Davis murdered 2 people in 1969 & was caught in 1970 after a year on the run. For some reason, it took the California courts 2 years before he was tried & found guilty of his crimes in 1972. Maybe because the legal community was building a case on Charles Manson and anybody/everybody in his "family" for all murders, not just the Tate/LaBianca murders (it sounds like, all together, there were 10 murdered people: Ms. Tate, her baby {she was 8 months pregnant with a boy}, four other people in her home at the time, Mr. & Mrs. LaBianca {the night after the Tate murder}, Gary Hinman & Donald Shea {the last two were murdered by Davis}; also, there was "Squeaky" Fromme's attempt to assassinate President Ford). In 1972, the CA Supreme Court found the death penalty "unconstitutional," so anybody on Death Row automatically had his/her sentence changed to life in prison without possibility of parole.
I was watching "Blue Collar Comedy 2" the other night when Ron White made a joke about how his home state of Texas was putting in "an express lane" for the death penalty in the state prisons. Wish all states would do that; save us money when it comes to housing & feeding the scum. In WA, if a criminal refused to choose the method of death, then the 'default' was hanging. Because of a psycho named Mitchell Rupe ( he murdered 2 bank tellers in Olympia during a robbery), who weighed over 400 pounds at the time of his conviction, the death penalty was changed to lethal injection as the 'default' method. Hanging him was considered "cruel & unusual punishment" because, with his weight, the judge stated that Rupe would most likely be decapitated (that didn't matter to the Iraqi courts, when they hung one of Saddam Hussein's cohorts & he was decapitated when the floor dropped out from under him). Rather than enforcing a diet that he was supposed to be on to lose weight, Rupe just got fatter until he eventually died of liver disease in prison.
Back to Davis: he should not have ANY parole hearings whatsoever. Same should be said about Manson, but for some reason, the courts give them to him (it's obvious that the guy needs a serious lobotomy; hopefully, when he is dead, an autopsy on the psycho's brain can reveal why he was so psychotic). One "Manson follower" (Davis' partner in the murders) was released in the mid-1980s, while one or two others have died in prison (now if only Manson would follow suit).
Life in prison should mean "life in prison," until death, without any parole hearings, period!
Well, sure, that makes sense. As everyone knows the only people who don't hold Texas in high regard are politically liberal homosexuals.
I suppose after enough beers with Bubba, Gomer and Goober it might seem that way.
Charlie conned this guy. I know of men who have killed, done time, gotten out, killed again, gotten time and killed again. he's almost 80. I'm not saying let him go, but he's to the point where he really can't hurt anyone again. There are members of the Manson Family, Like Ruth Moorehouse, who tried to poison other members and never spent a night in jail. Charlie's the real nut. This guy gave up just about all of his life.
Man you would think he would have converted to catholicism by now. Not only parole but he would have been transferred to another parish! What a dummy
If this man has really changed and is a Christain like he has claimed to be then he should be MORE willing to accept his punishment of life in prison and stop trying for release. Maybe he is a changed man but that doesn't change the fact that he is a double murderer.
I wonder how many people were unknowingly saved from being murdered by so many Manson Family members having been in prison all these years? Im sure they would have just kept killing and killing.
I agree; he may be claiming to be changed by religion, teaching the Bible and "counseling" (kind of like the blind leading the blind in that area; a convicted murderer counseling other convicts-really?), but until he is ready to admit to what he has done, actually talked about it to the authorities, and sought forgiveness (he may have sought God's forgiveness; wonder if he's ever heard of Purgatory?), he is not ready to be released. I doubt that he will ever ask for forgiveness in regards to his crimes. Let's hope that he has not procreated (& be glad if he hasn't)!
Even if he asks for forgiveness or admits to the crimes he should never be released.
jdm-1520224 "the other night when Ron White made a joke about how his home state of Texas was putting in "an express lane" for the death penalty in the state prisons. Wish all states would do that"
Using comedian Ron (tater salad) White as your guide for justice? The same guy busted for marijuana? The same state that used to give people 20 years for possession. How about this: Texas has been finding way too many of the people it found guilty to be innocent. Not so funny if you're the one given a death sentence because prosecutors suppressed evidence of your innocence and paid/coached drug users to testify against you.
"A new study finds that legal mistakes are not the exception, but the rule, in death-penalty cases nationwide, CBS News Correspondent Bob McNamara reports ... Texas, which executed 104 people during the study period, showed 52 percent of its death penalty cases reversed on appeal."
How about leaving the justice system to people who have an understanding of the injustice that goes on with corrupt prosecutors, prejudiced juries and sub-standard defense lawyers instead of comedians?
I wasn't aware a "member" the Grogan fella was actually released 30 years ago (wonder how he is doing, if living ).It's almost a given none of these kooks will get out alive nor should they I think. I agree also with the comment about his mug shot smirk, he is where he should remain. Good job Gov. Terminator he too said NO when this POS was granted parole in 2010. I like the idea of Charley and friends languishing in their cells rather than executing. I think some cases deserve execution but in some cases it's much more severe on the prisoner to rust and rot in a 8 X 8 cell I"m thinking.
Unfortunately, I don't think Manson, Davis & others really care if they are rotting in prison. They obviously had no problems killing others & besides, these days prison is not the 'hellhole' that it used to be. Davis has earned several degrees; he didn't deserve to college. They are allowed to watch TV and do other things like normal citizens. I can understand having "time in the yard" & probably borrowing books (for those who earn the privileges), but the money that allows inmates to earn college degrees should be used for those who REALLY deserve it--people of low income who do not have the monetary means to do it!
I'm sorry, but "Life" should be just that.... LIFE!
It is today in California but wasn't when he was convicted.
I wonder what happened to those young girls that were involved . Are they still in prison?
They are all in prison or dead. No Manson family member has been released. I know I may be slammed for this, but from what I have read and seen, if parole was given to this guy, I doubt he would be a threat.
Oh, so you wanna pay of their bills personally to stay in prison till they die?
uhm, squeeky fromme was released in 2009.
When you think about it Squeeky Fromme spent alot of time in prison and never killed anyone.
Squeaky Fromme wasn't involved in the Tate murders, though. She got prison for threatening President Ford with a gun. Sandra Good was released in the 80s, I think, and is as crazy as ever. Still supports Manson and lives in CA near the prison where they have him. She wasn't part of the murders, which is why she got paroled, but frankly, she should have been put away forever with the rest of them. These are dangerous people.
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I sure do not know why I should have to pay to keep this JERK alive !!!!!
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That this fellow is doing so well in prison and did so poorly when not in prison shows that he is exactly where he belongs.
Are you talking about before he was in prison after he murdered those 2 men? Otherwise, he has not been outside of prison since his conviction.
Okay, first of all. Yes, all of these people should have been executed within the first few months of being convited. But the same goes for ever other convicted murderer and child molester. However, our countries justice system is a @!$%#ing joke. Instead of the punishment fitting the crime we'd rather just throw them in jail and then focus on stupid @!$%# such as people with weed or drinking problems. ALL murders and child molesters should be put to a excruciating death.
agree!!
You guys have no idea how many people are wrongly convicted and wrongly sentenced. The whole reason for the appeals process is because the legal system is far from perfect. Prosecutors, juries and judges can get it wrong and it takes a lot longer than two months to even get a review started. Appeals are there to help the wrongly convicted. Appeals are there to make sure justice is just. By your standards way too many wrongly convicted people would die. And there would soon be calls for the very appeals you so easily find unnecessary. Of course if it was your butt on the chopping block you'd be crying about how unfair it was.
Grey wolves, smoke a pack a day! kill as many wolves as i can, how you liberals like that?
Maybe he can write a slobbering love letter to Maobama and Erik Holder can commute his sentence as long as he vows to vote for limpwrists while he is slaughtering other innocent people.....
All marijuana cigarette smokers should be put to death, they drag our country down
Your a @!$%#ing moron. Ignorant bastards like you one the ones dragging out country into the dirt.
Hey chuckles, hows that low brow I.Q. treating you, I could smoke two in the morning, and outwork,out shoot, and seriously out do your lard ass in anything. Don't turn red and poop yourself, I was just generalizing my opinion of ignorant political bigots.And on another note,you can kill Brother Wolf all you want, but someday he will see you, and who knows who he will be when he does.
Well if he gets enough air time and becomes a celebrity they will let him out. All celebrities get out anyways for anything...hmm let's see Ray Lewis, Kobe, Mr. Jackson.....and the list goes on and on and on. Guess celebrities are the only ones above the law.
Oh i forgot, ur president has things so screwed up and it keeps gold high, thanks i work for newmont gold in northern nevada and laugh all the way to the bank every wednesday, $100,461.00 bahahahahaha i only work six months thanks obama!
Yeah great president, hasn't done a @!$%#ing thing to help but got voted in yet again. Go figure.
Seriously chuckleberrys, I would love to hear that in person from you, you might need some of that gold for teeth, I hate politics, but WTF have you done, derek, for the country, and mental masturbation on the internet doesn't count douchbag. So hes not your pesedent huh, you must be an illegal immigrant, oh wait, ALL Europeans are illegal immigrants, no one asked you to come to our land. I must add that your intelligence shines when you tell everyone where you work, real bright.
srry derek, I see your comment to be sarcastic in nature, my apologies, you do a great service to this country simply by having the I.Q. to be sarcastic.
Nice guy ,that made some mistakes in the past....He has improve himself as an ass hole person....why not
be forgiven and kill Him in his prision room.
Because that would people would call that "cruel" out of ignorance.
I dont remember a movement to ban knives at the time of the crimes.