Free Susan Atkins

Susan Atkins was part of one of the most shocking crimes of the 20th century. She was originally sentenced to death, later commuted to a life sentence and a life is what she has served. Now she is near death, a mere shell of the woman she used to be and I believe it is time to grant this woman some penance and allow her to return home to die in peace.

Society is very quick to punish. We hand out life sentences and pat ourselves on the back for our evolved system of justice and our humanity. Yet there is something very paradoxical about the nature of this punishment. We kick up dust and have endless arguments about taking a life for a life, but the fact remains that a life sentence amounts to the same thing, just a slower and more painful process.

Anyone who disagrees with me should try being put in prison on an open ended basis with no idea when they will be released. I’m sure their opinion of the necessity of harsh sentences would be changed. At least when I did my time, I always had a release date in the back of my mind. It still didn’t make it any easier.

Economic points are being raised, but if this issued is going to be examined in a vacuum, on a philosophical basis, then economics is irrelevant. The question is about the dignity of life and the compassion we have as a society.

It’s true that Susan Atkins said she had no mercy for her victims. She was young. She came from an abusive situation, and became immersed in a dysfunctional situation. Are we so comfortable and smug that we can allow ourselves to show no mercy towards her after she has served forty years in prison and not feel a single pang of guilt? I have to seriously question the psyche and motivation of someone who feels that way. I read over the first eight years of Susan’s record of her prison behavior and after her initial adjustment period, she was consistently seen as a model prisoner, often being complimented for the calming and positive effect she had on other inmates. Even the families of her victims have acknowledged her good works and the clear change in her personality. Can’t we, as a supposedly impartial society, do the same thing?

If we allow Susan Atkins to return home to die, do we diminish ourselves in any way? I think it has the opposite effect. I think it shows growth. Let us allow ourselves the chance to grow instead of remaining in lock step with the path of least resistance. Susan did not allow her victims to choose the manner of their deaths. Do we need to adopt that same misguided attitude in order to feel safe? Let us more evolved people choose the noble path and allow her to die at home in peace.