"Will You Die For Me?" by Charles 'Tex' Watson

I came upon the text from Charles "Tex" Watson's memoirs while (unsuccessfully) hunting for a PDF of Susan Atkins' jailhouse epic: Child of Satan, Child of God.

Will You Die For Me? is notable primarily because, in this book, Watson admits that it was he who stabbed to death actress Sharon Tate, who was married to acclaimed Hollywood film-maker Roman Polanski. 

Prior to Watson's admission, there had been a great deal of confusion surrounding which of the "Family" members had actually wielded the knife on that fateful night in the summer of 1968. Not surprisingly, none among them wanted to take responsibility for brutally murdering Tate, who was more than eight months pregnant and revered the world over for her unmatched beauty. 

The book's text is available for free through Watson's web site, Unbounding Love Ministries.

Will You Die For Me? (PDF, 102 pgs)

Susan Atkins: The Shattered Myth of 'Helter Skelter'

Perhaps the most well-known of the Manson Girls, Susan Atkins died in prison on September 24, 2009 at the age of 60. Her last words before succumbing to brain cancer were: "My God is an amazing God."

God must have been on vacation when Atkins and other Manson cronies brutally murdered actress Sharon Tate and her unborn son Paul Polanski, along with Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Voityck Frykowsky, Steven Parent, Leno LaBianca, Rosemary LaBianca, and Gary Hinman.

Born on May 7, 1948 in Los Angeles, the runaway teenager met Charles Manson while living in a commune in the Haight Ashbury district. Manson re-named her Sadie Mae Glutz, and helped deliver her baby after she became pregnant by one of the other "family" members. He named the child (a boy) Zezozose Zadfrack. To date, the child's whereabouts are unknown.

Sadie Mae Glutz, as she was known within the psycho circle that was the Manson Family, claimed to have found redemption through Christianity. She wrote a book: Child of Satan, Child of God which chronicled her personal tale of spiritual re-birth. A man by the name of James Whitehouse claims to have read Susan's book during a time of struggle in his own life, and felt compelled to get to know the woman who wrote it.

While incarcerated, Atkins married twice: once to an eccentric Texas millionaire, and then to Whitehouse, who later graduated from the prestigious Harvard Law School and went on to represent her in legal matters.

Atkins-Whitehouse recited religious verse at her final parole hearing. In spite of her best efforts to prove to both the parole board and society that she was remorseful, reformed, Atkins remained one of the world's most hated women until the time of her death. At a hearing to request that she be paroled in order to die in a home setting with her husband at her side, she stated: 

"I don't have to just make amends to the victims and families, I have to make amends to society. I sinned against God and everything this country stands for."

Susan's final plea for merciful freedom was denied. After her death, Whitehouse published what was to be considered Susan's explanation of what really happened in the summer of 1969 and the ensuing trial, beyond what she called "the myth of Helter Skelter." 

The Shattered Myth of Helter Skelter (PDF, 107 pgs)

Susan Atkins with husband James Whitehouse

at her final parole hearing in 2009 (she was denied)

More Information...

susanatkins.org

"Her life, her accomplishments, her work with the Church, the community, and the needy, and her art."

"Leslie Van Houten: A Friendship" by John Waters

Last weekend, I watched an indie film loosely based on the sensational courtroom escapades of the Manson Family, entitled: Leslie, My Name is Evil. Although it received mostly horrible reviews in mainstream media, I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable parody of the pop culture sensibilities of it's depicted era; a wildly confusing time when free love seemed to collide head-on with ferocity and fear-mongering. 

For some time, I have been unsure about how to approach the Manson Girls for the purposes of this blog. If nothing else, this movie (far more arthouse than accurate) has provided me with a convenient segue into one of the darkest corners of American culture.

This morning, I came upon a somewhat surprising critique of Leslie. Legendary film-maker John Waters - also known as the Pope of Trash - decried the film's release. Speaking on behalf of both himself and his friend, ex-Manson Family member and convicted murderer Leslie Van Houten, Waters said: 

"Both myself and Leslie were horrified this movie was made, and I will never be able to watch it no matter what the intent."

Waters went on to explain that he, too, is guilty of having contributed to Manson Mania:

"Guilty of using the Manson murders in a jokey, smart-ass way in my earlier films without the slightest feeling for the victims' families or the lives of the brainwashed Manson killer kids who were also victims in this sad and terrible case."

Victims, indeed. While I understand the plight of reformed offenders (really, I do) as I watch them grow old behind bars, such is the unfortunate price of foraying into the realm of ultra-violence. Would any of the ex-Manson Family members ever have come to an understanding of the word "redemption" had they not been forced to contemplate their own brutality from inside an institutional cage?

Back in 2009, Waters contributed a series to the Huffington Post about the unlikely friend he found in Van Houten. Waters has been a fierce advocate for Leslie's parole; her 19th request was denied by the parole board in July 2010. She will be eligible to apply again in 2013.

Whether or not you agree with Waters' position on Van Houten's parole entitlement, the following is a thoughtful, intelligent piece of writing from an undisputed master of the craft:

Leslie Van Houten: A Friendship (PDF)

More Information...

John Waters denounces Canadian Manson film

Xtra!