I spoke with Susanna Lo and Robert Hendrickson and posted all updates on the upcoming movie and book. I was also conversing with someone else which I didn't mention until now. I was waiting for her permission before I shared this with everyone.
In the comment areas people have asked me "If a family member contacts you, and asks you not to post their picture, would you?" I think I answered that question with "I don't no it depends."
Yesterday I recieved and urgent letter from Stephanie Schrams daughter. She asked me if I had pictures of her mom, and if I did to please not post them.
Yes I do have pictures of Stephanie Schram present day.
Stephhanie's daughter is one of the nicest people I ever spoke to in my life. She is what I would say -very family orientated. She is a wonderful daughter and protector of her family. After speaking with her, I agreed to not post any pictures of Stephanie Schram here, or show them to anyone.
I saw another side to this tale. A side I never thought about before. She had such desperation in her plea. For a change I put myself in her shoes. As a daughter and a mother I felt her pain. The following is a portion of the letter I recieved from her. She asked me to please not post her real name, and was nice enough to agree to answer a few questions about her mother and what happened after Stephanie high tailed it out of there. Here is a New Years surprise~ a short interview with Stephanie's daughter on her mom's life after the Family.
BELOW- part of the letter I received from Stephanie Schram's daughter. Posted with her permission. She asked me to please not reveal her name, her mother's new name or there present location.
"So, I have spent many days reviewing your Website. I understand that some people may be very interested in my mom's whereabouts. However, I ask you to remember that my mother did nothing wrong. She was never convicted of a crime. She did not join that family to seek fame. She did not harm anymore. She realized those people had a screw loose and she hiked, barefoot and pregnant, out of the desert. At 17 years old, my mother got on a witness stand and testified against on of the scariest people this world has ever known. She endured months of hiding after that. She feared for her life for sometime. When the phone would ring and no one was on the other line..what do you think she did??? Ran like HELL out of the house. My mother's life has not been easy. You would think that God would give her a pass for the hell that she endured at 17....but this is not the case. "
I also asked her if her mom was really writing a book.
Below is her response. I also requested she keep us updated on her mother's book progress.
"She is...at least she has started the process. It's been a bit of a struggle for her...but she just bought a new laptop and promised me that she will kick it in gear starting in the new year."
I also would like to welcome her here and encourage her participation. If she refrains I understand. Let's all be nice to her, she is a beautiful person.
Liz - You're not so EVIL after all. LOL.
ReplyDeletei know right? i must be softening in my old age. i was thinking about putting that in the post. LOL
ReplyDeletespeaking to her it made me think of my own mother, and what i would do if the tables were turned.
i am still EVIL when needed. dont worry!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't post her photo either, after a plea like that. I can't imagine anyone who would. Can't wait to read the book, though!
ReplyDeleteOh, and welcome to the blog.
ReplyDeleteI was sympathetic to her privacy plea until mention of the book she's writing. Does she really expect to tell her story to the world and keep her privacy at the same time? Can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteExcellent Point Cornelius!!
ReplyDeleteI was right there too 100%- leave them be- until I caught that last part..
I was completely behind that letter and thought it was a perfectly made case- which should be respected...
But then the zinger.. lol if you read between the lines the same person who is pushing for her privacy is also rushing her to put herself out there for financial gain...
" she promised me she would kick it in gear"....
Why would she be rushing someone to publish a book when she is begging for the same persons privacy????
However- Liz you do what you think is best- I too, after reading that letter, would refrain in good faith. If the daughter ends up being in it for selfish reasons- you wont look like the ' bad guy" down the road and she will be seen for what she really is...
either way..
If she is sincere- you will have done the right thing for who seem like decent people...
i said it before and i will say it again, her and he daughter are very nice people. i have continued contact with her daughter, we talk quite a bit and not much of it is about her mother.
ReplyDeletethey have had their problems because of the Manson stigma.
Let us not forget Stephanie came at the end of it all and got going out of there immediately. She had nothing to do with the murders, but did take the stand against Charlie and Co, like her daughters letter mentioned.
i think maybe Stephanie is writing a book to maybe keep the "evilizes away" to satisfy the curious.
Well- your word is good enough for me :)
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone want to keep you away??? lol
Sometime I have a very suspicious nature...
Her daughter made a lot of very good points. The letter was very fair.
The book thing doesn't make me less sympathetic. Writing about your life can be cathartic where your bad experiences are concerned.
ReplyDeletePlus, I wanna read the Manson chapters! I want to know where she went with Charlie during that week or so. That's a black hole in the story. I also want to know how she got a guy who had a harem to pledge monogamy to her for two weeks. Write Stephanie, write!!!
MATT- I did think about that exact point- being therapeutic to talk about it...
ReplyDeleteWhat mad me think twice was that it eant the mom that seemed in a rush to get to it- it was the daughter..
Maybe same reason- maybe she thinks it will help her to communicate and come to terms with some of it...
But I have to be honest :)
My first reaction when I read the honest heartfelt request- immediately followed by' She promised me now that she has a laptop she will hurry up and write a book" was a bit of a contradiction to me...
But it was a few sentences, and it could be easy to take it out of context based on a few cut-outs from a conversation...
Liz says she has talked to her and she is genuine - then its all good- she has had a chance to listen to her and get to know her a bit- so she would know better than I :)
I do want to give people the benefit of the doubt...
It would be nice to hear those stories- and you are right- she was able to get him to do some thing the others weren't... " perfect genes" she supposedly had lol
Hope she includes a few pictures of herself back in the day...
Charlie was not short on options
Exactly. She looks rather ordinary, but was able to sway Charlie away from all of those other girls. Where did they go? Who did they see? What was it that tipped the scales (when did she realize this was a bad bunch) and convinced her to get out of Dodge.
ReplyDeleteThere are 3 women and 3 men sitting in prison 41 years later wishing they had her good sense.