September 2, 2009                                                                              Michele Kane

                                                                                                            (916) 445-4950

Parole Denied for Inmate Susan Atkins

CHOWCHILLA - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) today denied parole for convicted mass murderer Susan Atkins during a hearing at Central California Women's Facility (CCWF).

Atkins, 61, appeared before the panel and will be eligible for another parole consideration hearing in 2012 (3 year denial). The BPH decision marks the 13th time that Atkins has been denied parole since 1976.

Atkins has been serving life in prison for her involvement in the 1969 murders of Gary Hinman, Abigail Ann Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Steven Earl Parent, Sharon Tate Polanski who was eight months pregnant, Thomas Jay Sebring, Leno La Bianca and Rosemary La Bianca.

On July 15, 2008, the BPH denied a recommendation for recall of commitment (compassionate release) for Atkins.

Atkins was initially sentenced to death.  That sentence, as well as those of 107 other inmates, was modified to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a 1972 ruling by the California Supreme Court that determined the state's death penalty statute at the time was unconstitutional.

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