How Far Should Justice Go? "IMPACT x Nightline" Examines Charles Manson Cult Parole
Freedom or Fallout: The Controversy Over Manson’s Followers
How far should justice go? IMPACT x Nightline digs into the controversy surrounding Charles Manson cult members and whether they deserve freedom.
What’s Happening:
- In this new episode, ABC News chief national correspondent Matt Gutman conducts an in-depth look at the ongoing debate over the parole of Charles Manson cult members.
- The episode includes a powerful interview with Debra Tate, sister of actress Sharon Tate, who was murdered by Manson followers while eight months pregnant; Debra remains firmly opposed to their release.
- Gutman also speaks with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on the legal implications, while attorneys Keith Wattley and Rich Pfeiffer argue that their clients have reformed and deserve freedom.
- The episode features rare ABC News archival footage, including Diane Sawyer’s landmark 1994 interviews with Charles Manson, Leslie van Houten, and Patricia Krenwinkel, and reexamines the psychological grip Manson held over his followers that led them down a path of murder and mayhem.
- Additional new interviews include:
- Sunny Hostin, former federal prosecutor and The View co-host
- Tom O’Neil, author of Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties
- Rick Alan Ross, founder of The Cult Education Institute
- Dan Abrams, ABC News chief legal analyst
- Brian Buckmire, ABC News legal contributor
- Chris Connelly, ABC News contributor
- Now in its fourth season, ABC News Studios’ award-winning streaming newsmagazine IMPACT x Nightline investigates the issues shaping American culture, stories dominating the zeitgeist, and conversations around the world. Eman Varoqua serves as executive producer.
- IMPACT x Nightline: “Evil: Manson Killers Freed?" premieres Thursday, October 16, on Disney+ and Hulu.
More TV News:
Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now