Rating: 
Summary: Outragious Garbage
Review: A few things about this book 1) Its tiresome. The author goes on and on and on (and on) about how wonderful of a person Leslie Van Houten has become. In fact, Ms. Van Houten does sound like a fine person, but the author's reverence towards her is hard to stomach and it makes the book hard to take seriously. 2) The political yammerings are also offputting. The author makes it sound as if all of society is corrupt, chaotic, and illogical...
Rating: 
Summary: This book is a complete disgrace
Review: Having recently read the book "The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten", I must say it is unbelieveable how biased Karlene Faith is in her attempt to help Van Houten gain her release from prison. She portrays Van Houten as being a helpless "victim" of Charles Manson and leads the reader to believe that "poor little Leslie" had absolutely no control over her role in the senseless slaughter of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. What a crock! Faith seems to forget that after brutally murdering the LaBiancas, Leslie and the other heartless killers went into the LaBianca's kitchen and helped themselves to a snack!! Murdering two innocent people whom she didn't even know certainly didn't make poor little Leslie lose her appetite! The woman didn't have a heart or soul then, and she still doesn't.
She should be paroled from prison when the murder victims are paroled from their graves. It's a slap in the face to the victims and their families that she or the others is even considered for parole in the first place. Justice can only be served when Leslie dies BEHIND BARS!
Rating:
Summary: She is STILL ALIVE, The LaBianca's are FOREVER DEAD!
Review: I do not fear Leslie Van Houten. I believe she has more than likely become a better human being over the decades, and has done much good work to try and atone for her participation in the horrific murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. REGARDLESS: she is lucky to be ALIVE.
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca are gone from this earth, FOREVER. It makes no difference wether or not Leslie stabbed Rosemary AFTER she was dead, or BEFORE. She STABBED her, over and over...and over again! Even if she had NOT weilded a knife, she helped detain the woman, and her husband, so that others COULD kill them! She knew FULL WELL of the murders at Cielo Drive the evening prior. Her knowledge of the violent, heart breaking killing of the pregnant Sharon Tate alone, should have sent her running for her own life! And what about the four other good people who were so gruesomely slaughtered?! She wasn't at Cielo, but she KNEW!
She knew FULL WELL what she would be expected to do, when she unlawfully entered the LaBianca home that night! A pillowcase was placed over Rosemary's head, and secured with a lamp cord! When the poor woman relized that her husband was being murdered in the next room, she desperately fought for their lives, and was thwarted...in part by Van Houten! And WHY?! These people had never done any of them the slightest harm!
Have you SEEN the morgue pictures of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca? Have you seen their bodies peppered with the painful stab wounds that this woman took part in delivering? Take a good look courtesy of Crime Shots, and then tell me that anyone who participated in that blood bath deserves to be set free! You can actually SEE some of the places where Van Houten's knife struck! As noted, some of the wounds Rosemary suffered to her back and buttocks were administered BEFORE she died. But even if she was dead a SPLIT SECOND before Leslie first raised her blade, Van Houten is still equally responsible for every last moment of TERROR and AGONY that innocent couple experienced!
The argument that Van Houten is somehow LESS guilty than Charles Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel, is based on garbage reasoning. People will also try to tell you that Charles Manson is INNOCENT because all he did was tie the LaBianca's up (and then left the scene). "Hey man, I said to rob them, not kill them". RIGHT...!
I'm VERY sorry that Van Houten made the exceedingly poor choices that she made in 1969, whatever the circumstances. She has the ability to acheive personal goals in her prison life, that Leno and Rosemary will forever be denied. AGAIN...it doesn't matter at all that she never raised her knife to Leno. The man's death is just as much her doing, as that of the people who actually stabbed him. She KNEW what she was taking part in! She could have refused...she did not. She could have gone for help...she did not. She could have stayed at the DAMN ranch...she did not.
Her death sentence was mercifully overturned. She has experienced a reprieve that she did NOT grant the LaBianca's. Her sentence was commuted to LIFE in prison. It matters not how many others have been released and paroled over the years...let JUSTICE be done, HERE.
It may seem odd to say, but I do feel compassion for Leslie and Patricia, because I think they truly do realise the horror of what they did, and feel genuine remorse (I would not say the same for Watson and Susan Atkins). I cannot damn the Manson killers to hell, as some people so freely do. I can't even wish pain on them for the brutal, savage crimes they committed 35 years ago. I CAN, however, demand that they be held behind bars untill their natural deaths, as punishment for taking lives that they can never give back. The VICTIMS of these crimes will never see parole, so WHY should the KILLERS ever walk free? Because they are really nice people now?! Well, perhaps they are, but SO WHAT?! Let them continue to atone, in the confines of prison walls.
Leslie Van Houten is exactly where she deserves to be...and is LUCKY to be there, at all!
Rating:
Summary: ENOUGH, ALREADY!!!
Review: Is this "free poor little Leslie" nonsense ever going to stop? Every time I turn around she's on the news whining about how she's been reformed and should be set free. This book by Karlene Faith is a worthless piece of junk. Faith places the blame for the murders on Manson and holds Leslie accountable for absolutely nothing! Some people say all Leslie did was stab someone who was already dead and she's already spent over thirty years in prison, so it's time to set her free. Excuse me!! How do we know Mrs. Labianca was already dead when Leslie stabbed her SEVERAL times in the back? Had a DOCTOR pronounced her dead before Leslie so willingly stabbed her? The autopsy of Mrs. Labianca showed some of the stab wounds to her back were NOT post-mortum.Have some people forgotten that Leslie was sentenced to DEATH for her participation in this senseless crime? Her sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly abolished the death penalty in the early 70's. So yes, this makes her eligable for parole, but it certainly doesn't mean she should get it! Some say if this had not been such a "high-profile" crime, she would have already been paroled. But let's not forget that the whole purpose of these crimes was that these heartless murderers wanted to do something to "shock the world". Clearly, they succeeded in doing that. Now they must pay the price. The great majority of people, including me, think this means: Life without ever being granted parole.
Rating:
Summary: ENOUGH, ALREADY!!!
Review: Is this "free poor little Leslie" nonsense ever going to stop? Every time I turn around she's on the news whining about how she's been reformed and should be set free. This book by Karlene Faith is a worthless piece of junk. Faith places the blame for the murders on Manson and holds Leslie accountable for absolutely nothing! Some people say all Leslie did was stab someone who was already dead and she's already spent over thirty years in prison, so it's time to set her free. Excuse me!! How do we know Mrs. Labianca was already dead when Leslie stabbed her SEVERAL times in the back? Had a DOCTOR pronounced her dead before Leslie so willingly stabbed her? The autopsy of Mrs. Labianca showed some of the stab wounds to her back were NOT post-mortum. Have some people forgotten that Leslie was sentenced to DEATH for her participation in this senseless crime? Her sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly abolished the death penalty in the early 70's. So yes, this makes her eligable for parole, but it certainly doesn't mean she should get it! Some say if this had not been such a "high-profile" crime, she would have already been paroled. But let's not forget that the whole purpose of these crimes was that these heartless murderers wanted to do something to "shock the world". Clearly, they succeeded in doing that. Now they must pay the price. The great majority of people, including me, think this means: Life without ever being granted parole.
Rating:
Summary: The brainwashing never stops ...
Review: Looks like the naive Ms. Faith got taken in by the Manson game herself. This book is so preposterous, I don't know where to begin. (I could start with that dewey, Frances Farmer-esque "Will There Really Be a Morning" cover photo of the killer; oh, brother.) In 1969, Van Houten et al were young and had their troubles; however, they had options. They chose their path, disregarding plenty of warning signs along the way. They were intelligent enough to know that what they were doing is wrong, and they deserve to be held accountable for the rest of their lives. Life imprisonment without parole is not at all a cruel and unusual punishment in this case. It's a small price to pay considering the unbelievably callous brutality of what they did, and the innocent lives they ruined. All their good behavior, degrees and AA memberships achieved within the penal system, while admirable, will never change those aspects of this crime. In some ways, Van Houten perhaps should be judged with more severity because there appears to be no reason whatsoever for her to have turned to a life of crime other than personal choice. For example, while Charles Manson's unfortunate childhood circumstances should never excuse his crimes, they at least offer some insight and understanding of how he came to be involved in such atrocities. Van Houten grew up knowing nothing but privilege and a life of ease. One can only imagine the monster that may have resulted had she grown up facing even a fraction of the abuse and lack of care that Manson dealt with on a regular basis. These defendants all deserve to remain in prison, not only for the severity of their crimes, but also because of the fact that they so easily turned from everything they had known to butcher and slaughter innocent people -- all because someone told them to do it. How could we ever trust them again? Why should we? If Ms. Van Houten is truly remorseful, takes responsibility for her atrocities and wishes to make some sort of amends, the best she can do for our society is exactly what she apparently has been doing for years, according to her record -- being a model prisoner and helping fellow inmates. This gives her the opportunity to serve society in a positive way while being kept in a controlled environment, to completely eliminate the most remote possibility of anything like this ever happening again. This, to me, is an excellent use of tax dollars and the optimal way for her to pay back. I doubt that she would be as beneficial to society on the outside; as a matter of fact, I fear that she could become dangerous again. Denying her parole also is the best message the system can present to our society -- and the very least that can be done to help the victims' families achieve and maintain some semblance of closure. With so few good reasons to release this unpredictable long-term inmate, and so many practical, beneficial reasons to keep her in, parole denial seems like a foregone conclusion. Van Houten is up for parole again 08/25/04. I urge everyone who wants to see her remain incarcerated to write to the parole board: Margarita Perez California Board of Prison Terms 1515 K Street, Suite 600 Sacramento, CA 95814
Rating:
Summary: The brainwashing never stops ...
Review: This book is a clear and rational argument for granting parole to so-called "Manson girl" Leslie Van Houten.
Author Karlene Faith takes the reader inside Leslie Van Houten's life in prison and details how she was able to break free from the brainwashing and manipulations she had been subjected to by Charles Manson.
Faith also opens up for scrutiny the whole parole process to reveal how politics can be used to thwart justice and deny freedom to someone like Van Houten, who has proven herself to be *the* textbook example of what rehabilitation and personal redemption are really all about.
Far from being just a simple memoir, this book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the Manson case, feminism, and social justice.
Readers of this book will also enjoy the story "Charles Manson, Son of Sam and the Process Church of the Final Judgment: Exploring the Alleged Connections" in the book, "Labyrinth13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime, and Conspiracy." (Visit www.labyrinth13.com for details).
Rating: 
Summary: A Rational Call for Justice
Review: This book is a clear and rational argument for granting parole to so-called "Manson girl" Leslie Van Houten. Author Karlene Faith takes the reader inside Leslie Van Houten's life in prison and details how she was able to break free from the brainwashing and manipulations she had been subjected to by Charles Manson. Faith also opens up for scrutiny the whole parole process to reveal how politics can be used to thwart justice and deny freedom to someone like Van Houten, who has proven herself to be *the* textbook example of what rehabilitation and personal redemption are really all about. Far from being just a simple memoir, this book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the Manson case, feminism, and social justice.
Rating: 
Summary: Have to Keep an Open Mind
Review: This book is well written from a point a view. It is hard ot determine if Leslie is ready for parole. Her parole was denied today. I guess it is in Gods hands if she ever gets out. The book does give a strong agrument for her parole. Would a woman of her age and backgroung be threat to society?? Remember she was 19 years old and under heavy influence of drugs. I guess all I have to say is those interested in the Manson Murders to read this book and keep an open mind.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible "new age feminist book" with a bias....
Review: This book should be avoided like the plague. It's not worth the paper that it's written on. I bought this book to get a glimpse of Van Houten. I didn't "see" the things I was supposed to "see". Van Houten wants out, so Van Houten will do whatever she can to get out. She claims she didn't stab Rosemary LaBianca until she was dead. She claims she stabbed her 16 times. LaBianca was only stabbed 13 times AFTER death. But all that is a moot point. She was INVOLVED in a brutal killing. She was INVOLVED in the Tate murder as an accessory both before and after the fact. She was INVOVLED in a murder that took place during a burglary. She was convicted and sentenced to death. This woman should be thrilled that she is still alive. She does not deserve to be paroled. She does not deserve to be free. She did not give that consideration to her victim(s) so she then should not be given that consideration. Van Houten says she's a model prisoner and deserves to be free. She was also a model high school student and homecoming princess. So right after being a model high school student she became a murderer. How do we know that after being a model prisoner she will not go right back to being a murderer? She has proven herself to be a cold blooded murderer. At her parole hearings she won't look at the family, she won't apologize to the family. She might be saying the right things, but she doesn't mean them. Also, she claims that since she wasn't as devoted a Manson family member as the others she could be rehabilitated. Well, damn, not as brainwashed and yet she STILL committed the crime? Interesting prospective. Less culpable for the crime? No. More deserving of parole? NO. Keep her locked up and throw away the key? Yes! Life in prison should equal LIFE IN PRISON. Do your time- you already committed your crime.
|
