| It seems it is the season for paroling women who | | | | be in the same room with them. You see, I lived |
| attempt to assassinate our presidents and those who | | | | around the corner from the LaBianca's on Rowena |
| commit heinous crimes. | | | | Avenue off Surry Street, when Krenwinkle and Van |
| Sara Jane Moore, the middle aged woman and a | | | | Houten murdered the couple. |
| mother who shot at Pres. Ford in 1975 was released | | | | I did not know them personally, but they were part |
| from prison December 2007. Lynette "Squeaky" | | | | of our neighborhood--people you saw in the market |
| Fromme, the Manson follower who waved a gun at | | | | or around town. |
| Pres. Ford 17 days before Moore fired at Ford also | | | | It is one of those tragic experiences you never |
| may be out soon. | | | | forget, like where you were when you learned Pres. |
| And now, filmmaker John Waters is calling for the | | | | Kennedy was shot, or when you first saw space |
| release of another Manson member, his friend, Leslie | | | | shuttle Challenger explode. All made me feel sick to |
| Van Houten. Van Houten was convicted in the | | | | my stomach. |
| murder of Rosemary and Leno La Bianca. | | | | The Tate- LaBianca murders - so close, so |
| There has been a lot written lately comparing and | | | | frightening, sent our neighborhood into paranoia. |
| lumping Sara Jane Moore to Fromme, but really they | | | | People left their homes for several weeks |
| have nothing in common except for a misguided | | | | immediately following the murders. We were terrified. |
| belief that killing the president...who just happened to | | | | We looked around our own living rooms wondering if |
| be Gerald Ford, would make a difference. But, Sara | | | | Manson and his family had cased our homes, looked |
| Jane Moore was never a Manson woman. | | | | at our family photos and considered us as potential |
| She was never friends with Charles Manson in West | | | | victims. Could it have been us? Is he coming back? |
| Virginia, she was never a member of the SLA, she | | | | We weren't willing to take that chance and we all |
| was not obsessed with Patti Hearst and Sara Jane | | | | moved out for weeks at time. |
| did get one shot at Ford, missing his head by six | | | | Now, seven years later I was asked to sit across the |
| inches. Sipple grabbed her arm before she could | | | | table from these women. Women, who were for a |
| shoot a second time. | | | | while, not so different from me...until they stabbed |
| But, more than knowing Sara Jane, it is odd that | | | | Rosemary LaBianca and Sharon Tate to death. |
| suddenly these three women are in the news and I | | | | If I was going to see them I needed to go back in |
| have met them. | | | | time, so I read Vincent Bugliosi's book, Helter Skelter. |
| Sara Jane Moore wrote to me from prison in 1975. | | | | The horror, blood, fear and shock were back. I had |
| That letter started a 30 year communication and | | | | done my homework for the interview. |
| resulted in my writing a book about her. | | | | We were instructed by their attorney that we could |
| During my association with Moore, I met Fromme | | | | not ask anything about the murders. We could only |
| when she was incarcerated at the FCI Terminal | | | | ask and talk about what they were doing now...seven |
| Island in San Pedro. She would not remember me, | | | | years later in prison. |
| but I certainly remember meeting her. Our encounter | | | | This assignment was not like other crime story |
| was not overwhelming. At the time, Fromme | | | | interviews. This was personal. I looked at their hands, |
| standing by a fence at TI that separated the women | | | | their eyes, watched them breathe. Van Houten could |
| from the men. She looked wistful, as though she was | | | | have been sitting in a college cafeteria, her bangs |
| searching the sky for an answer to an unknown | | | | grown out to cover the "x" on her forehead, making |
| question. | | | | her look like any other young woman shopping at |
| Some are more frightening than others | | | | Nordstrom's. |
| I also met Patricia Krenwinkle and Leslie Van Houten | | | | Krenwinkle wanted to know how she could become |
| in 1976. Back then I was working for a very small | | | | a journalist like me. She said it was something she |
| weekly publication called the News Journal, not to be | | | | always wanted to do and asked if she could write to |
| mistaken for any other significant news magazine or | | | | me. She did. Her letter was short but nice. She |
| newspaper. | | | | thanked me for coming to see her and did I have |
| One of our editors learned that Van Houten and | | | | some recommendations for books she should be |
| Krenwinkle were coming up for a first parole hearing | | | | studying for when she will be released. |
| seven years after their murderous events. She was | | | | I can't help but remember what it was like living in |
| able to get us into the California Institution for | | | | Los Feliz in August 1969. I can't go along with John |
| Women in Frontera to interview the two. I was | | | | Water's idea that Leslie Van Houten is someone who |
| stunned at this news and not sure I could manage to | | | | could be my friend. |