Charles Manson and His Familys Murders - Essay Example

Manson and his followers were given life sentences with the possibility of parole. When Van Houten came up for parole first, Doris Tate was incensed. She petitioned the California legislators to allow victim impact statements. Before this law was passed, victims’ families could not speak during a parole hearing. This law that Doris lobbied forgave the victims’ families an opportunity to relate how the crimes impacted their families.

While alive, Doris attended every parole hearing for Charles Manson, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins, and Charles ‘Tex’ Watson. As a result, all of them are still in jail with the exception of Susan Atkins. Susan Atkins died of cancer. Even when asking for a compassionate release because cancer took both her legs, the parole board denied Atkins’ request. The Tate Foundation felt that Atkins had not shown Sharon mercy as she begged for the life of her child, so the courts should not show mercy to her.

Although the media almost glorifies or vilifies the Manson family, the real story should be about the victims and their families. The Tates could have wallowed in their sorrow and given up. By creating the Tate Foundation, the Tates fought back against violent crime and advocated victims’ rights. That should be the story retold in the media. If Charles Manson and his family are evil, then the Tates proved that good can triumph over evil.