SUSAN ATKINS A.K.A: “Sadie Mae Glutz” “Why don’t you kill us now? We can’t have a fair trial!” said when they removed Manson from the court. By: Crystal Staudt

BACKGROUND  Born: May 7, 1948 in San Gabriel, California  When she was 15 her mom died of cancer; Dad was alcoholic (fought with Susan)  Quit school and moved to San Francisco  2 escaped convicts and 3 committed armed robberies  Got caught, 3 months of jail, and returned to San Francisco  Sold drugs  Met Manson when he visited commune where she lived  Went to Spahn Movie Ranch with him  Renamed her Sadie Mae Glutz  Had a son named Zezozecee Zadfrack Manson Family at Spahn Movie Ranch

CRIMES ACCUSED ON COMMITTING  In trouble with law all of her life  Committing armed robberies – 3 months in jail  Arson (def: malicious burning of someone’s house or property)  Murder – death sentence, later turned into life sentence Sharon Tate

MANSON FAMILY  The “family” listened to Manson’s stories about “Helter Skelter” which was what he thought would happen in the near future when a racial war between blacks and whites would erupt, blacks would win, and they would make Manson leader  July 1969 they went to friend’s house, Gary Hinman who sold group bad LSD (def: powerful drug that gives temporary hallucinations and a schizophrenic psychotic state)  Manson sliced Gary’s ear off and everyone else help him at gun point (3 days)  Stabbed him and took turns suffocating him  She wrote “Political Piggy” on the wall in his blood

KILLINGS CONTINUE  The war didn’t start yet so Manson decided to help blacks by starting the killings  In August Manson sent Atkins and three others to Sharon Tate’s house  Tate ( 8 months pregnant) and guests gathered together and butchered to death  “Pig” was written on the front door in Tate’s blood  The next day Manson and others went to Leno and Rosemary LaBianca’s house, killed the couple and wrote blood words on the wall  However, Atkins was sent to actor Saladin Nader’s house, didn’t get him because they knocked on wrong apartment door  October 1969, Barker Ranch in Death Valley was raided; arrested for arson

EVIDENCE  Atkins told cell mates about the murders, information given to police (Manson and others were then arrested too)  She told the jury that she held Tate down and stabbed her repeatedly while she called for her mother  Atkins recanted her testimony (def: withdrew testimony)  Later tried with Manson for first-degree murder (def: murder that is carried out with the planned and deliberate intention of killing somebody)  Girls carved an x in their forehead and shaved their heads to show unity and kept disrupting the court room

SENTENCE  Convicted of murder  Sentenced to death  Later changed to life sentence  Atkins went to California Institute for Women

LIFE IN PRISON  Family members told her she was a snitch  Turned to Christ, said he came to her and forgave her  1977, wrote autobiography “Child of Satan, Child of God”  Met millionaire Don Laisure through mail and got married in 1981  Laisure had been married 35 times before and divorced him  Model prisoner  Made own ministry and earned an Associates degree  Married Harvard law student, James Whitehouse  Been turned down for parole 10 times  Died of brain cancer in prison on September 25, 2009 James Whitehouse and Susan

DIFFERENTIAL – ASSOCIATION THEORY  I picked differential-association theory because none of her crimes happened until she got involved with the two escaped convicts and then Manson. She had a rough childhood but her behavior changed from being with the criminals. They influenced her and she started robbing with them. After she went with them she couldn’t go back. She had to start selling drugs to make a living.  It got a lot worse with Manson because he made her completely believe what he wanted her too. She didn’t have family or anyone to keep her grounded and he showed up and influenced her to go with him. She didn’t have anyone else and he was nice to her making him seem like a good guy to believe in. She trusted him and really cared about him so she listened to him even though what he said didn’t make any sense. He changed her values and got her to think that doing all of the bad things they did were actually good for everyone. She would have done anything for him. When she went back to Christ after being away from him for a awhile it showed how much he changed her and her values.

MOVIES, BOOKS, AND SONG  Will You Kill for Me? Charles Manson and His Followers  Biograghy  “Child of Satan, Child of God” by Susan Atkins  Helter Skelter – Vincent Bugliosi  Helter Skelter – The BeatlesBeatles