Bruce Davis, an associate of Charles Manson who was convicted in two of the nine killings tied to the cult, was found Thursday to be eligible for parole, corrections officials said.
The finding is now subject to a 120-day review and could still be blocked by Gov. Jerry Brown, according to a statement released by the state corrections department.
Sitting governors have stopped three previous attempts to grant parole to Davis, 72. In 2013, Brown said Davis is "still dodging responsibility" for his role in the Manson family's gruesome actions in 1969.
Though he wasn't involved in the Tate-LaBianca killings, Davis was convicted in 1972 for the murders of Gary Hinman, an aspiring musician, and Donald "Shorty" Shea, a stuntman and employee at the Chatsworth ranch where Manson and his followers lived.
Davis claims he did not participate in the killings of actress Sharon Tate, who was married to director Roman Polanski and pregnant at the time, or Los Feliz residents Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
In the 40 years he has spent in prison, Davis has married, fathered a child and earned a doctoral degree in religion.
Manson remains incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison, where he is serving a life sentence. His next parole hearing is scheduled for 2027.
Patty thinks they should let him out. He has repaid his debt to society.
ReplyDeleteSo, here we go again...
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Leslie Van Houten will make it past the Board for the first time next year. Can't see it happening when 'Picasso' Beausoleil finally gets his next hearing because he can't help but put his foot in his mouth.
ReplyDeleteIf the LA DA's office would just be straight with the governor and give him the true facts about the crimes that Bruce was convicted of it would be nice. The statement from the last reversal by the governor cited that Shorty had been beheaded, which is not true, and that was the reason for the reversal. I have no doubts that it is the LA DA's office that is feeding the governor's office BS.
ReplyDeleteI think as long as Brown is governor he'll continue to block parole for Davis. Beausoleil won't make it past the board, he'll just spew arrogance and a tweaked version of events.
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me that now Bugliosi has died if that might possibly change the LA DA's office stance on recommending a block for Davis's parole.
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ReplyDeleteequinox12314 said...
'Picasso' Beausoleil
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Don't you mean 'Picasshole'?
He shouldn't start packing, yet. I am pretty sure he is going to get a reversal again, even though there really isn't any reason to. I noticed that last year, Patrick Sequiera wasn't there to blab to the board. Does he still work for the DA's office? Did Barbara & Debra make an appearance, I wonder?
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ReplyDeleteI think Brown simply will not accept as part of his political legacy that he "Approved the parole of a Manson Family two count convicted murderer."
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ReplyDeleteWhy did Linda Rhonstadt's career stall?
ReplyDeleteShe put a governor on it.
With all the uncomfortable debate recently about the intellectual capacity of various Tate family members, it doesn't take a genius to realize that Mrs. Tate's point of a thousand lights legislation requiring the governor to approve murder paroles would absolutely guarantee no (more) Manson Family murderers ever get paroled. Clem was luuuuucky.
ReplyDeleteClem giving up where Shorty was buired helped his parole
ReplyDeleteAustinAnn said:
ReplyDelete"...I noticed that last year, Patrick Sequiera wasn't there to blab to the board. Does he still work for the DA's office?"
@Ann, I seem to remember Sequiera resigning rather suddenly over the Tex Watson tapes. Didn't he make promises over the years to author Tom O'Neill that he would let him hear the tapes as thanks for bringing their existence to his attention. PS didn't deliver on his promise - perhaps on the advice of LAPD, or maybe it was a promise he shouldn't have made in the first place.
Six Miles From Cielo said...
It occurred to me that now Bugliosi has died if that might possibly change the LA DA's office stance on recommending a block for Davis's parole.
@Six Miles, that's an interesting point of view. But I was watching a US news bulletin on YouTube (can't remember which one, sorry!) and the reporter said she had been in touch with the LA DA's office after one of the Manson Family parole hearings, and she was told straight that they are not getting out. I think it's a done deal. The Parole Board, the Governor, the DA's office do not want to be held responsible for letting them go for the sake of their own careers.
I bet every day of their lives that the incarcerated Family members wish they could rewind the clock to August 1969 and do things differently.
Dawes said:
ReplyDelete"...I don't understand why Bruce is in jail for so long anyway (other than "MANSON"). No version of events I have read shows him as having had anything to do with Hinman's killing. In the Shea murder he was one of a number of people that took part in the beat-down,..."
Dawes, I agree with you that Bruce's direct involvement in the victim's death is minimal compared with the others. But I remember that one of the justifications from Governor Brown's office for continuing to hold Bruce was that there were other crimes in which they strongly suspected his incarceration. Now, in most jurisdictions, you wouldn't be able to hold someone on that basis - it is a case of provide the evidence, charge them and give them a 'fair' trial. I think it was after the 2014 refusal from Brown that they explained that in California, at least, they seem to be able to do it.
I don't believe Bruce would be a harm to society if let free. Much as I admired the late Doris Tate and have great sympathy for the Tate family, I didn't agree with her move to get parole ratified by the Governor. It politicises the justice system (or more so than it already is!).
Dawes,
ReplyDeleteI have to make a correction to what I typed in my post of 4.36AM. I meant to say in line 4 "...in which they strongly suspected his involvement...", not his 'incarceration'!
Sorry, it's early morning here in the UK!!
Drats, missed this. I drove by CMC twice today. I could have sat by the gate to catch a glimpse or DT! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe question should be: "Do you consider that this man still pose a grave threat to society?"
ReplyDeletethe governor should go along with the parole board. They're the ones who did the legwork.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Watson tapes, it's interesting that it was recommended to Jerry Brown that he listen to them before making the decision on Davis last time around.
ReplyDeleteD. LaCalandra said...
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Watson tapes, it's interesting that it was recommended to Jerry Brown that he listen to them before making the decision on Davis last time around.
OK, we know that Governor Brown visited the DA's office early last year, but did he get access to the tapes because I thought they were in the possession of LAPD, rather than the DA's office? If Tex spoke on the tapes of murders committed by Family members other than himself, can that be relied on in any way? He was, after all speaking to attorney Boyd after having murdered seven people himself.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be 30 years in November that Clem has been free.
'Scramblehead' was apparently the one with the brains in the outfit.
I would like to use Bruce's bible for toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteSo Good Day LA got the Watson tapes or??
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