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Manson family member seeking parole

June 13, 2012

Bruce Davis

A former Manson family member whose release was squelched two years ago by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is scheduled to have another parole hearing today at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo. [UTNews]

Bruce Davis, 69, is serving life sentences for the 1969 slayings of stuntman Donald “Shorty” Shea and musician Gary Hinman.

At his 26th parole hearing, the state board determined Davis was ready to be released. Schwarzenegger later reversed the decision, saying the murders were “especially heinous” and that Davis’ release would pose an “unreasonable risk of danger to society.”

If the new panel grants Davis parole, his release would require the approval of Gov. Jerry Brown and other parole board members.

While incarcerated, Davis earned a master’s degree in religion and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates. He also married a woman he met through the prison ministry and has a grown daughter, UT News said.

Manson family member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme was released from federal prison in 2009 after serving time for the attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford.

Manson and two of his followers, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel, remain in prison for life for the murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles. Susan Atkins died in prison last year.


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Even Manson case prosecutor and author Vincent Bugliosi has recommended parole for some of the Manson associates who had received life sentences. Steve “Clem” Grogan was paroled decades ago. Like Davis, and Charles Manson, Grogan was not charged with actually committing a murder himself, but being associated with people who did the heinous acts.


Most people don’t know the relevant facts about these cases. But that doesn’t stop them from acting otherwise.


What most people know of the Manson case comes from the book Helter Skelter which was written by the prosecutor of the case and contains disputed information that helped the prosecution win the case. The entire “Helter Skelter” theory was exaggerated in order to construct a motive for the killings that would convince a jury to convict Manson, even though he was absolutely not present when the murders he was charged with were committed.


Let it be known that I am not defending Manson or his associates. I’m simply defending the TRUTH of the matter.


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I beleive in term limits for incarceration, how much time does one need to think, re-evaluate and or repent? As the prisoner population grows, all taxpayers get punished through the re-directed funding that consumes our budget. At some point we need to say no to free room and board. How about lifting the age on the draft so they can be assigned to a low paying job is Iraq.


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Arbeit Macht Frei


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The Tribune does have a better story.


As taken from the Tribune: Davis and his wife recently divorced. If released, the 69-year-old would go to transitional housing in Los Angeles County and would try to pursue a career in the ministry.


So apparently he has no one but the church to support him.


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Of course if he is paroled there will be numerous conditions for him to follow; his associating with anyone that has a criminal past might be a problem if he were to continue to minister to felons. Perhaps this man would have to channel his religious beliefs into working with the less fortunate in our society, but not allowed to knowingly associate with other ex-felons. This will be an interesting case; if Governor Brown does allow his release, will that be enough fodder for the “law and order” crowd to scream about him being “soft” on crime? Surely everyone can realize that then Governor Schwarzenegger’s decision to deny his release was purely a political determination; why would it be any different for Governor Brown? At seventy years old, having earned his college degrees, having gotten married, does anyone honestly believe that the man has not had a serious change of attitude and view on life and how to treat others? What he apparently did was wrong, period; is it worth it to our society to keep him locked up for the rest of his life?


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What is up with all these evangelists Manson spawned ?


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That’s why they call it a cult.


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Wow. He earned a masters and a doctorate…wish I could afford to go back to school.


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Let him out under the condition he cannot reconnect with any of Manson’s tribe of headhunters.


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He should not be allowed to parole to Grover Beach where other former Manson family members live. We don’t want to recreate another another version of the same relationships that happened before. He needs to be paroled to another county away from former Manson family members.


Grover Beach doesn’t need to develop a small Manson family. Why would the Parole Board even think of allowing him to reassociate with these people. Parole him elsewhere and I have no objections, but break up this Manson family thing in Grover Beach.


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i think you are, unintentionally, spreading false rumors again, Citizen. i don’t know of any former “Manson Family” members who live in Grover Beach or anywhere in the Five Cities area.


Davis was involved with the Hinman murder to some extent, but was not present when Hinman was killed and didn’t actually touch Hinman in any way.


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WiseGuy, I’ve read the same thing about Davis. He was involved with the family for certain and tried to extort Hinman but that he wasn’t there when Hinman was killed. I’m not aware that he was ever involved in any murders apart from an accessory by means of attempting the extortion or being called to assist with the disposal of Shae after the fact.


If Citizen knows of family members living in the area, I would ask who they are? I’m not aware that there are any of them around. Likewise, Laura reminds us that he has a wife who will provide a home for him.


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YOUR facts are correct regarding Hinman’s involvement, Cindy. Davis was MILES away when Hinman was murdered, but had been at Hinman’s home briefly earlier on the day of the murder.


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Brussell spouts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhr-wPVvNOw

??? radio from 1971 Monterey Carmel.

Imagine how this sounded to regular folk in 1971.


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Wonder how he will support himself? Well I can’t say but turning to crime if desperate is a possibility. Who is going to hire him? Felon’s have a hard enough time landing a job and with his past and age it is unlikely. So yes how does he support himself?


As far as the murders, it was brutal. Hinman they had convienced that they were not going to kill him and then they decide to. Shea was as good as premeditated. They were mad that he was a snitch. They cut off his head. Pretty brutal in my book. That is two murders to one guy. Yes the Manson connection has kept him behind bars but even without the connection, I think the double murder and brutality still would have kept him away for about this long.


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Sorry, The above is a reply to Cindy.


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Cutting off someones head sounds terrible but I think they did that after poor Shorty was dead. Killing anyone and dismembering them is as heinous as it gets. But my point is that logically, he isn’t dangerous any longer as he is going to be 70 years old and he has had over 40 years to think about where and how his use of LSD (40 years ago) and the mishap of meeting Charles Manson (40 years ago) and the decisions he made (40 years ago) got him. . People change after 40 years of incarceration and the prison guards even believe that he should be released. They get to see him everyday and know his demeanor day in and day out so why continue spending all this money to keep him incarcerated when there are others who need to be dealt with?


I do admit that the thought of the possibility of him ending up on Prado Road is rather more than I think I want to deal with ! Where do we send him?


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WHERE do we send him? And his poor long-suffering wife? How about Cindy’s place? LOL


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he stays, it’s an election year


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He has been locked up for over 40 years and it is only his connection to Manson and the sensation of the case that has kept him behind bars for this long. He wasn’t present at either the Tate/Polanski home when those murders took place or at the LaBianaca home either. While it would appear that he was present at the Hunman and Shae murders, there has always been a great deal of conflicting testimony about that. Either way, he is now almost 70 and I don’t believe he is a danger to anyone any longer. We’ve had our revenge and its time to make room for another bad guy, one that is truly a danger to us.


Humm, I wonder what happens to someone his age when they are released from prison? He surely won’t find a job. I wonder how he will live and support himself? Will he end up on Prado Road? That is a strange thought.


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He has a wife, locally, who will support him.


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Actually, much less strange than you think.


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There are family members in of his in Grover Beach.. But shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. Remember this area is all about good.. Nothing bad happens in this area. Give me a break. This is the perfect area.. KKK.. cross burning everyone thought it was just a prank..


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