Read Online Charles Manson Behind Bars by Mark Hewitt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Hewitt
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scapegoat of all if its ills: the hippies, the draft dodgers, the public protestors across America, and the Viet Nam war. It’s easier to blame him than expect society to take responsibility for its own problems. In fact, Charlie has only been convicted for being the oldest and most influential member of the Manson family. He repeatedly denied ever committing or condoning a murder.
Nevertheless, every year, Manson is convicted all over again in the media. If he were ever retried, he would be found not guilty, and would likely come away with a large settlement for judicial misconduct. I asked him once why he didn’t seek to have his case retried. “Even if my case were to be retried,” he confided, “I might end up back on death row for some other murder they would pin on me.” He told me that he had chosen to live a humble life, living each day to the fullest knowing that his time might be short. Not only was he given a life sentence, but his health was not that great.
He was acutely aware of his physical challenges. On various occasions, he told me about his heart problems, his colon cancer, and his emphysema. In addition to his physical ailments, he was also threatened with death every day from the many inmates who would love to make a name for themselves by “offing” the most notorious convict in America.
Parole did not appear to be a likely possibility to Charlie. He told me that many members of the victim’s families sit on, or control, parole boards, which have a major influence on the Board of Prison Term, the committee tasked with the responsibility to decide whether an inmate is paroled or not. These victim advocates see to it that Manson is not granted parole. It would be nice to think that this kind of activity was rare; however, it happens to inmates all the time. I have seen it.
I have a friend who is serving “seven to life.” In other words, he has to serve at least seven years of incarceration, but his sentence could continue for his whole, natural life. The actual length depended on what the parole board would decide. No matter how many AA meetings this friend attended, no matter what he did to reform his life, he never made it out. After sixteen years, the Board of Prison Term recommended him for parole. When the governor’s office caught wind of the plan, it made sure that he was once again denied parole. That was in 1991. Today, he languishes in prison still.
In the years since the early 1990s, the prison system has steadily taken away prisoner’s rights and privileges. Under California Governor Pete Wilson, rehabilitation programs were stripped away from the inmates, sugar was replaced by cancer-causing sugar substitutes, and rules for possessions have been tightened. It seems that politicians would rather build a new prison than a new elementary school in the ghetto. Charlie helped me see this. It is more profitable and politically beneficial to provide money to richer counties and wealthy communities, than to provide funds where they are needed most.
It is better, in some people’s estimation, to buy a pair of handcuffs than to purchase a school book for a kindergarten student, a book would ensure that a child will turn out successful. Currently, there are more prisons in California than in any other state. That doesn’t even include hospitals, federal prisons, camps, or county lock-ups. When you realize the huge business that the prison system is, and consider the people making money off of it, the job security and profits for investors through state bonds or affiliated companies, it gets kind of scary for the powerless inmate. I have only come to understand this lately. I was never much into politics until Charlie explained to me how so much of our world works. Instead of using its power to gain more power and money, the prison system should be about helping others.
When Charlie and I spoke, our discussion was often about how to help other people. Charlie would say, “Love your
Nevertheless, every year, Manson is convicted all over again in the media. If he were ever retried, he would be found not guilty, and would likely come away with a large settlement for judicial misconduct. I asked him once why he didn’t seek to have his case retried. “Even if my case were to be retried,” he confided, “I might end up back on death row for some other murder they would pin on me.” He told me that he had chosen to live a humble life, living each day to the fullest knowing that his time might be short. Not only was he given a life sentence, but his health was not that great.
He was acutely aware of his physical challenges. On various occasions, he told me about his heart problems, his colon cancer, and his emphysema. In addition to his physical ailments, he was also threatened with death every day from the many inmates who would love to make a name for themselves by “offing” the most notorious convict in America.
Parole did not appear to be a likely possibility to Charlie. He told me that many members of the victim’s families sit on, or control, parole boards, which have a major influence on the Board of Prison Term, the committee tasked with the responsibility to decide whether an inmate is paroled or not. These victim advocates see to it that Manson is not granted parole. It would be nice to think that this kind of activity was rare; however, it happens to inmates all the time. I have seen it.
I have a friend who is serving “seven to life.” In other words, he has to serve at least seven years of incarceration, but his sentence could continue for his whole, natural life. The actual length depended on what the parole board would decide. No matter how many AA meetings this friend attended, no matter what he did to reform his life, he never made it out. After sixteen years, the Board of Prison Term recommended him for parole. When the governor’s office caught wind of the plan, it made sure that he was once again denied parole. That was in 1991. Today, he languishes in prison still.
In the years since the early 1990s, the prison system has steadily taken away prisoner’s rights and privileges. Under California Governor Pete Wilson, rehabilitation programs were stripped away from the inmates, sugar was replaced by cancer-causing sugar substitutes, and rules for possessions have been tightened. It seems that politicians would rather build a new prison than a new elementary school in the ghetto. Charlie helped me see this. It is more profitable and politically beneficial to provide money to richer counties and wealthy communities, than to provide funds where they are needed most.
It is better, in some people’s estimation, to buy a pair of handcuffs than to purchase a school book for a kindergarten student, a book would ensure that a child will turn out successful. Currently, there are more prisons in California than in any other state. That doesn’t even include hospitals, federal prisons, camps, or county lock-ups. When you realize the huge business that the prison system is, and consider the people making money off of it, the job security and profits for investors through state bonds or affiliated companies, it gets kind of scary for the powerless inmate. I have only come to understand this lately. I was never much into politics until Charlie explained to me how so much of our world works. Instead of using its power to gain more power and money, the prison system should be about helping others.
When Charlie and I spoke, our discussion was often about how to help other people. Charlie would say, “Love your
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