Miles away, Leslie Van Houten watched the news of the murders, rapt. Before she met Charlie (that was what everyone called him then), Van Houten’s life seemed almost typical. At the age of 14, when Van Houten’s parents divorced, she began using drugs such as marijuana, methedrine, mescaline, and benzedrine. On August 10, 1969, Manson asked Van Houten to get a change of clothes and get in the car. The controversy surrounding Van Houten’s release raises questions about the possibility of redemption and the limits of rehabilitation.

Source: Washington Post July 09, 2023 12:16 UTC