Bruce Davis was scheduled for a parole suitability hearing January 18, 2024. That hearing was continued until August 8, 2024. According to news sources the reason for the continuance was because Bruce took part in two podcasts hosted by Keith Rovere of "The Lighter Side of Serial Killers".
Keith Rovere, 51, lives in New Jersey. He has worked for the same wood flooring company for the last 20+ years, he refinishes vintage furniture in his garage, he helps minister in prison and prison aftercare in Camden New Jersey with Seeds of Hope Ministries, he writes music, he writes books and he has the podcast. Busy guy!
If I were Bruce Davis, I would not decide to make my first public appearance, so to speak, on a podcast named "The Lighter Side of Serial Killers". The name seems flippant and does not convey any sympathy towards the victims. Rovere does not offer any context as to why he chose that particular name. There really is no lighter side to being a serial killer, it's a heavy subject and Bruce Davis was not a serial killer per se. Perhaps because Rovere has a background in religious teachings Bruce deemed him acceptable. There are a lot of podcasters out there with better names who Bruce could have spoken to and not raised the hackles of the parole board.
One sentence in the article I read had me scratching my head.
"I've yet to hear the podcast," Davis told Fox News Digital in an email, before asking about it. "Does it sound as if I'm glorifying Manson or my crimes?"
California does not allow prisoner's to have email accounts or use the internet. That does not mean that prisoners can't figure out others ways to access the internet, usually by means of a smuggled cell phone.
Either the reporter meant snail mail or they just dropped a dime on Bruce for having a smuggled cell phone.
As far as the podcast interview goes, it was interesting. I've never heard Bruce speak at length. I did notice a few instances in the first podcast of Bruce using buzzwords and phrasing that were very similar to what Manson has said in the past. Bruce may be stuck in the sixties, which is where Manson was stuck, but I would think that after so many years in prison with a large turnover of fellow prisoners that Bruce would have learned the contemporary equivalent of those words and phrases.
The podcasts most likely haven't done Bruce any favors. It wouldn't be a surprise to learn they earned him an even longer period before he's allowed to have another hearing.
The podcasts can be heard at most of the places where you listen to them.
Look for Season 1 Episodes 14 and 22.
Here's the link to the podcasts at Spotify
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ReplyDeleteCalifornia inmates actually can send and receive email now through these ipad looking things they can get for good behavior. They can send short videos clips and receive those too, as well as send and receive voice messages and pics. I could be wrong, but almost certain you can actually face time for short fragments of time, while a guard is nearby supposedly.
ReplyDeleteBut you have to pay for it. So if you are willing to pay some money, you can email Tex and even face time with him.
So they are not allowed to do podcasts? So he has affectively tanked his chance for parole? Don't misunderstand me, I find the whole thing absolutely distasteful, but I'm not sure I am following
ReplyDeleteI've listened to the first episode and it doesn't seem like this was a good decision by Bruce Davis. He says right away that he's looking for help writing a book. He seems to treat his history lightly, even chuckling a few times while answering questions. He excuses Charlie and isn't sympathetic to the girls. He doesn't seem repentant at all.
ReplyDeleteThe podcast hasn't received positive reviews.
Like DebS, I also noticed outdated slang and references. Also he still has a Southern drawl, which is surprising.
D, I've never heard about the ipad things. I looked through the CDC rules for communicating with a prisoner and nothing like that was mentioned. Is this something you've done?
ReplyDeleteKlms, the podcasts that feature Bruce were spliced together from numerous recorded phone calls that Rovere had with Bruce. A prisoner is allowed only 15 minutes per phone call. It's not that a prisoner isn't allowed to be on a podcast, it is the content of the podcast that is in question. In this instance Bruce was aware that Rovere was putting together the podcasts from their phone calls.
ReplyDeleteMedium Patty, I've been somewhat sympathetic to Bruce and his bids for parole. I didn't feel that his involvement with the two murders that he was convicted of was anywhere near the involvement of others who were convicted of the same crime. He was not present the day the Gary Hinman was killed. Mary Brunner received immunity for her testimony at the trial for Hinman's murder even though she was directly involved with his murder. Tex was never charged for Shorty Shea's murder.
ReplyDeleteI've read Bruce's parole hearing transcripts, and he comes off as being contrite and dedicated to his religion as a way of atonement. But after listening to Bruce speak, I am not as sympathetic towards him.
Thanks Deb. The whole thing is just unbelievable- that he could
ReplyDeleteShow such horrific judgement. Good for him if he redeemed himself and has been rehabilitated. But I question that now. He might feel he has “moved on” but I don’t think the relatives of his victims have understandably.
Words fail me. I hope he is denied parole
It’s also quite sick in my view that people insert themselves into this whole tragedy. The podcast creator should stick to his day job. No good comes of this and it’s sick attention seeking behaviour on their part to contact these inmates Who latch on to them
ReplyDeleteAs a consumer I gave apple my 2 cents. I don’t know who is more inappropriate, Mr. Davis, or the podcaster
ReplyDeleteIf he wants to share anything about how to play the guitar or spirituality or whatever that’s totally fine, but I don’t think anybody should be gaining monetarily nor benefitting from extra attention for these 50-year-old crimes. I don’t think people should be victimized any further. I can’t believe his lawyer let him do that.
What a catastrophically idiotic lapse in judgement.
ReplyDeleteI've read somewhere (maybe on this blog?) that Bruce has dementia. Not making excuses for him, but that would definitely skew one's judgment. And if he does have it, shame on the Podcaster for taking advantage of this.
ReplyDeleteIt's a service provided by Global Teletracking www.gettingout.com
ReplyDeleteMonica
ReplyDeleteCan we confirm that he has dementia and how did we find out
Something could be done about the Podcaster if that’s the case. It would just be nice to have a confirmed though about the dementia
Thanks
Kim
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DeleteThe dementia was a rumor going around and never confirmed. At the beginning of each parole hearing the commissioner goes over the prisoner's health issues so that there is no question that the prisoner can participate in the hearing. Below is the section that covers the issue from the July 8 2022 hearing. I think we can safely say that Bruce does not have dementia.
ReplyDelete---------
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: All right. Mr. Davis, the next thing we need to take care of is a review under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And this is to make sure that you have all the accommodations you need to fully participate this morning.
ATTORNEY BECKMAN: Commissioner, we'll stipulate that no ADA issues must be dealt with today.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: They still have to be dealt with. I need to put on record that he has everything that he's been accommodated with. I will ask you if there are any further, but I do need to go through this, uh, for our record. So according to our records, Mr. Davis, you have, um, I see that you have a walker, a wheelchair, and a cane assigned to you. Which, which one are you using today?
INMATE DAVIS: I'm not using any of them today. Thank you.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Oh, okay. Was that related to your, I think you had a hip issue or a hip replacement coming up.
INMATE DAVIS: I had it last September.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Okay. And so, you don't need those things anymore.
INMATE DAVIS: No, ma’am.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: I also show you have compression, compression, stockings assigned to you. Do you need, was that also related to the hip?
INMATE DAVIS: Well, yeah, yes, it was. I don't need any of that anymore.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Okay. And it's still in your record, so I am going to just make sure. I, I show that you also have glasses assigned to you, but I don't see you wearing them. Do you need those today?
INMATE DAVIS: No, ma’am.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: All right. All right. And then you have, uh, I obviously know comprehension issues. You have a TABE score of 12.9, high school grad and, and you earned a PhD while you were in prison. Is that right?
INMATE DAVIS: Yes.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Okay. Are you, you're currently in the CCCMS program, right?
INMATE DAVIS: Yes.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Okay. You do get an accommodation for that. That is, that will be your Attorney today. Um, and I think that is and based on your comment earlier, Mr. Beckman, I assume you have no other concerns. So, um, based on those responses, actually, let me just confirm, are you taking any medications that can affect your ability to participate or just affect your, you know, sitting still paying attention? Anything like that?
INMATE DAVIS: No, ma’am.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: All right. Thank you. So based on those responses, I see no reason we cannot continue with the hearing. Mr. Beckman, do you have any additional documents or preliminary motions or objections?
ATTORNEY BECKMAN: Um, no additional documents at this time. I'll reserve the right in case. I need to submit the (Inaudible). Um, no, no, no preliminary objections at this time.
PRESIDING COMMISSIONER GARLAND: Very good. All right. So, Mr. Davis, I totally understand you've been through this many times, um, and you probably know, know the format. I am going to just go through it so it's clear for all the participants what we're going to be doing today.
Hi Deb. Thanks for that !
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds more like a Bobby Beausoleil move, since...ya know, he's such a famous musician & all.....(eyes rolling)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is interested I think it would be a good idea to complain to wherever u get ur podcasts from re
ReplyDelete- in appropriateness of the podcast
IE
- a non professional is contacting convicted murderers and publishing content that essentially promotes further trauma for victims
- giving opportunity to a convicted murderer to seek help to write a book
- allowing the opportunity for potential financial gain and attention seeking for the murders is NOT something that apple, Spotify, or whomever should support
I could get Bruce out of jail in a week, but I don't want to ruffle feathers. He was incited to do what he did by somebody with a get out of jail free card who wanted to conceal who he was and what he was doing and it WAS NOT CM. A shitload of other people (including stone cold killers who killed people totally independent of CM) were also involved and took a stab at Shea and purposely let free because according to the script, they weren't "The Manson Family" and they were let into doing it do by that piece of shit. They also weren't purposely being fed speed behind Charlie's back by this person. Who's every word about violence and racism came from their mouth before Bugliosi switched names around and interviewed kids with no knowledge of the criminality the shit this fed put into their head and told them to tell police if they question them.
ReplyDeleteYou know....shit like "Charlie shot a black leader to ignite the revolution".
ReplyDeleteRespectfully that’s not how Mr. Davis nor Mr. Grogan have recounted the events
ReplyDeleteTheir accounts leaves out the people the legal system of CA go free. they weren't Spahn Ranch regulars. They were being duped by somebody on a motorcycle leading them too and if you open your eyes, they took could sense it and had no idea why this scumbag couldn't stay off the Ranch.
ReplyDeleteA certain somebody this piece of shit was desperate to get a murder charge on, because they were setting him up for what happened from Hinman to Los Feliz. Made SURE this piece of shit was also there to get his hands dirty, once again turning the tables on them. The murder was out of this certain "leader's" hand.
D. said:
ReplyDeleteI could get Bruce out of jail in a week
Then why haven't you ?
You know how, when someone says something so totally ridiculous, someone else will comment "I want some of what you're smoking" ?
Well, I don't want any of whatever it is.
You can keep it ! 😄
Mind your head !!
but I don't want to ruffle feathers
If I took you remotely seriously, I'd tell you that that comment simply shows you as pretty spineless.
Fortunately, I'm a gent and I don't take most of your latteryear comments seriously. 😘
He was incited to do what he did by somebody with a get out of jail free card who wanted to conceal who he was and what he was doing and it WAS NOT CM
That's funny. "CM" is on record {in George Stimson's book} as saying that he incited Bruce to stab Shorty {page 192 in the paperback edition}. Actually, the word George uses after a conversation with Charlie is "forced."
(including stone cold killers who killed people totally independent of CM)
You could make a fortune in an alternate universe as a historical 📓📔 revisionist. Heck, I'd employ you !
and took a stab at Shea and purposely let free
The three guys purported to have also stabbed Shorty {Little Larry, Bill Vance and a certain Charles Watson} could not be tried under California law, either then or now, because there's no independent corroboration from someone that wasn't a co-conspirator and Mary Brunner was either not playing ball or was needed to get Bobby, while there was less pressure to use her to get Tex because he was already in the firing line for Cielo. If DNA technology had existed back then, maybe they all could have been tried and possibly convicted. But it wasn't even known about the Jones and Vance involvement until many years later.
Their accounts leaves out the people the legal system of CA go free
Bruce Davis' accounts do not. Read up on his parole hearings. He names names.
For someone as well informed as you, Dennis, for the last 9 years I've been frequently surprised just how poorly informed you often have been. You leave the impression that you're relying on the fact that there's lots of stuff that people haven't read and are uninformed.
Well said Mr. Grimtraveler
ReplyDeleteI hope the specific thread is closed soon
klms said:
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a good idea to complain to wherever u get ur podcasts from re - in appropriateness of the podcast
IE - a non professional is contacting convicted murderers and publishing content that essentially promotes further trauma for victims
I presume you mean the victims' families.
In any case, once a crime is written or spoken about anywhere publicly, that risk is run. Following your logic, this site should also be closed down and taken out of cyberspace, because that's what we always risk doing. Yet you're contributing to the site.
So with that in mind, I disagree.
giving opportunity to a convicted murderer to seek help to write a book
Atkins' and Watson's books may have been kind of 'meh' and it may be my opinion that they should never have been written at the time they were, {because they were immature baby Christians that hadn't processed their journeys and I think were written for the wrong reasons in the late 70s}, but such books can be really important tomes, same way it is really important that Cielo has made available numerous parole hearings going back to 1978. Insight is better than ignorance and an autobiography, despite its self-serving nature, is better than a biography.
Hi Grim
ReplyDeleteYes, of course you raise some good points. I’m just outraged that the podcast or is behaving in the manner that they are. Yes obviously my major concern is the victims families.
klms said:
ReplyDeleteI hope the specific thread is closed soon
I don't.
Threads like it help to keep one informed. And the choice always exists whether or not to read it and take in its contents.
Grim, you just still don't get it. You are looking at documents in which there is a massive amount that was being covered up and buried as it was happening and which names were being switched around left and right.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting too that somebody so quickly wants to close the thread down too now that I said what I did.
You are just another radio playing a lot of "jazz" which is what most of Bugliosi's book is.
A lot of what you said is true, but it doesn't matter anyway. There is NO WAY it could ever come out who and what caused the murders to happen. Especially not back in 1969. Somebody on that ranch had a get out of jail free card and used and abused it to the point Sharon Tate was murdered and it was NOT Manson.
The victims families can sue the shit out of CA and so could the killers too. But they can't, because they are not going to reveal it. I'm not even talking about Tex Watson and his relation to that house. I'm talking about extreme misconduct of LE.
ReplyDeleteklms said:
ReplyDeleteI’m just outraged that the podcast is behaving in the manner that they are
I agree, it isn't pretty. Unfortunately, it's like booze, fags and porn of the hardcore variety. They have questionable aspects to their existence but they fulfil a demand {or create a question that becomes a demand that then gets suppied} and one doesn't have to engage if one doesn't wish to. It's not wrong either, to wish the providers of things one doesn't like go bust, even if one is not or ever will be, a partaker. But in order to make choices, one has to be confronted with stuff one doesn't like.
You people have a shitload more to be outraged about with the case.
ReplyDeleteBruce knows what happened, he can't say it. He got every piece of bait laid out and I KNOW HE KNOWS because he sat there and let them cover up what he knew wasn't true.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't an ex-con with years of experience spent in Federal prison like Charles Manson did and who knew fully well of what was going on right in front of his face.
D. said:
ReplyDeleteGrim, you just still don't get it
You're absolutely right. I'm as thick as rhinoceros 🦏 shit 💩 on a hot day in Toronto Zoo.
I don't get what an appendix does.
I don't get algebra.
I don't get the real-life relevance of inflation.
I don't get how an undercurrent can pull one down, yet it's so hard to deliberately sink in the sea.
I don't get why so many Beatle fans don't like "Yellow Submarine", "Obladi Oblada" and "Octopus' Garden."
I don't get why modern-day pundits think Black Sabbath "invented" heavy metal.
I don't get.....
You are looking at documents in which there is a massive amount that was being covered up and buried as it was happening and which names were being switched around left and right
You say "covered up." You have a vested interest in ignoring real-time nuance and how that has subsequently played out. You tend to jump on any discrepancy as a big "AHA !! GOTCHA !!!" smoking gun. And yet, time after time over the last nine years, you've been shown, with numerous evidence, to be as wrong as wrong can be.
A tip for you, my friend 👋🏿 and much-liked adversary 👍🏿 ~ life has more paradoxes and nuance than most people like to acknowledge, let alone be bothered with looking at and understanding. The Manson case exemplifies this better than most.
It's interesting too that somebody so quickly wants to close the thread down too now that I said what I did
klm's desire to close the thread had little to do with what you said.
You are just another radio playing a lot of "jazz"
And folk. And heavy rock. And pop {but not K-pop !}.
I once designed a T-shirt that said "Turn me on....I'm a radio."
which is what most of Bugliosi's book is
On 24th December 2015, I said this to you:
Because most of my answers have been to you in particular, bearing in mind what you said to me about not accepting anything from the official version because you think it's bullshit, I have gone 75 miles out of my way to answer your points that I've chosen to answer, drawing as little from the official narrative as possible. It hasn't always been possible and 14 times, I've used the official narrative in the answering or rebuttal of some of what you've written. I've also used historical references 6 times and I have used other sources {some of which I've actually linked to} around 53 times. George Stimson does not subscribe to the official narrative. I've used some of his writing. Michael White does not ascribe to the official narrative. I've used some of his writings. Bobby Beausoleil, Charles Manson and Susan Atkins do not ascribe to the official version. And so on. A large number of your points can be rebutted using info that comes from people not in the slightest bit sympathetic to Vincent Bugliosi.
If you go public with your opinions, expect them to be picked apart if there are aspects that aren't agreed with.
That still applies. I don't need to go near Bugliosi's book to rebut you and over the last 8 years, I rarely have.
Bruce knows what happened, he can't say it. He took every piece of bait laid out and I KNOW HE KNOWS because he sat there and let them cover up what he knew wasn't true.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't an ex-con with years of experience spent in Federal prison like Charles Manson did and who knew fully well of what was going on right in front of his face.
D.
ReplyDeletePlease name names. It's difficult enough to keep up with everyone involved in this case without playing guessing games.
D.
ReplyDeleteI'm serious. Please tell who this mysterious string puller is.
Grim, I'm curious to hear your take on who "invented" heavy metal
ReplyDeleteI'm not Grim. But I share some Britishness... Black Sabbath! Look up their Paris 1969 gig on Youtube. Superb. Three blokes from Birmingham. Hairs go up yer neck!
ReplyDeleteI'm not Grim either, but EVERYBODY knows it was Mountain.
ReplyDelete;)
The only thing that would interest me about Bruce is details about living in the LA sewers with Pitman and how fucking stupid did he feel a few days later when the drugs wore off and he was under arrest for the next fucking 60 years
ReplyDeleteWho is this D character and when did we start allowing special needs people in here?
ReplyDeleteSteppenwolf "Born to be Wild" 1967.
ReplyDelete"I like smoke and lightnin'
Heavy metal thunder
Racing with the wind
And the feeling that I'm under"
you're welcome
cielodrivecom said:
ReplyDeleteGrim, I'm curious to hear your take on who "invented" heavy metal
It wasn’t an “invention”, much less one by any specific artist. It was an evolution that involved a number of incremental moves over a number of years in the 1960s {one could even go a little earlier} by a number of artists. It became a greater possibility as amplification improved and people moved further and further away from the pop structures of the 1963-65 period.
One only has to listen to both the singles charts and various albums from 1964 onwards to see pop/rock music evolving towards heavy metal. Think of the impact of “I wanna be your man” by the Rolling Stones, “Tobacco Road” by the Nashville Teens, and “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks; play these loud and they are light years ahead in the heavy stakes. Then think “My Generation” by the Who, “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream and even “Lucifer Sam” by Pink Floyd, not to mention the stuff that had been doing the rounds on stage for a couple of years with the creation of the Marshall stack. Notch it up further with Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, the Pretty Things, Blossom Toes, the MC5, the Stooges, Deep Purple, the Beatles, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad, High Tide, Josefus, Mountain, Lovesculpture, the Jeff Beck Group, the Yardbirds…….all of these bands were playing songs prior to 1970 that were either heavy metal in total or had heavy metal sections. There were other bands that were doing likewise. It wasn’t thought of as a particular genre and went under a few different names like progressive music, underground and Blues-rock. Even terms like hard rock, harder-edged rock, heavy rock, heavy metal etc were interchangeable.
There was a lot going on before Black Sabbath’s debut !
I mean, even Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker,” a song that still shakes the walls when played at a modest volume, was recorded 5 months or so before the Sabs even recorded their debut. High Tide’s “Sea Shanties” was recorded months before Sabbath’s debut. It was released in October ‘69. The Sabs recorded their debut on the 16th of that month.
I always advocate the blind person test. If you played a blind person the heavy songs of all the aforementioned, they’d recognize them as all being of a similar hue. Nowadays, “metal” fans tend to rewrite history and move the goalposts of what “heavy metal” is. But it was a recognized genre long before Judas Priest were making records in 1974. It wasn’t a specific genre before Black Sabbath {it wasn’t even a specific genre when Sabbath made their first few albums, it became one} but its evolution was well set in motion when some of the Sabs were still at school.
Milly James said:
ReplyDeleteBlack Sabbath! Look up their Paris 1969 gig on Youtube. Superb
Are you sure the gig is from 1969 ? I've looked all over the gaff for it and the only Paris gigs that come up are from 1970. In any event, even if they were playing a rip-roaring metal fest gig at some point in 1969, Cream and Hendrix beat them by a couple of years. Steppenwolf beat them by 18 months if they were in Paris in '69.
Medium Patty said:
EVERYBODY knows it was Mountain
Shows just what everybody does know ! 😃
Mountain in their day were mercilessly pegged as just a Cream copy. And that wasn't helped by having Felix Pappalardi in the band who had been the producer of "Disraeli Gears", Cream's second album. Mountain's early blueprint was Cream's "Sunshine of your love" which is kind of ironic.
So no, it wasn't Mountain. ⛰
J-Dog said:
Steppenwolf "Born to be Wild" 1967.
"I like smoke and lightnin'
Heavy metal thunder
Racing with the wind
And the feeling that I'm under"
you're welcome
Great heavy song.
But it didn't create the genre either. For one thing, they didn't release it in '67, but in '68. And the term 'Heavy metal thunder' is about the motorbike 🏍. Purple Haze had been in the 'deleted' sections for over a year by then !
You're welcome. 🗿
By the way, if you aren't already familiar with it, check out Blue Oyster Cult's version from the "On your feet or on your knees" album. It's rather insane.