Manson follower Susan Atkins denied early parole

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

CHOWCHILLA, CALIFORNIA --- Suffering from terminal brain cancer, the former Charles Manson follower who showed actress Sharon Tate no mercy as she brutally stabbed her to death, sought sympathy from the California parole board in a bid for freedom before she dies.

Susan Atkins, 61 is said to be paralyzed over 85 percent of her body and can no longer sit up in bed or be moved to a wheelchair, according to a web site that is maintained by her husband and attorney James Whitehouse.

Atkins was moved to the Chowchilla facility from the California institution for Women at Frontera last year because of her illness.

Atkins death sentence for the vicious murder of actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child over 40 years ago was automatically commuted to life in prison after the state of California abolished the death penalty in 1972.

The terminally ill Atkins slept through most of the four-hour hearing on Wednesday during which her lawyer-husband pleaded for her early release based on the fact that Atkins is not expected to live much longer.

Families of the victims of the Sharon Tate-Labianca killings also attended the hearing, urging the parole board to keep Atkins behind bars.

Atkins was denied a compassionate release in July 2008, shortly after she was diagnosed and given only months to live.

Atkins had been expected to die of brain cancer over a year ago, was denied her final bid for freedom on Wednesday.

Susan Atkins is currently the longest-incarcerated female inmate in the California penal system.