(Prosecution witness Virginia Graham testified concering a conversation she had on November 6, 1969 with former fellow inmate Susan Atkins in Dormitory 800.)

SUSAN ATKINS

Direct examination by Vincent Bugliosi:

"What were the circumstances leading up to the conversation about the Tate murders?"

"Well, we started talking, we were talking about many things, and then the conversation drifted on to LSD, which I, myself, had taken one time, and we discussed LSD for a while. And then I warned Sadie that she talked entirely too much. I told her that I didn't care particularly what she had done, but I didn't think it was advisable for her to talk so much. She told me that she wasn't really worried about it. And she also told me that she could tell by l.ooking at me, my eyes, that I was a kind person; and that she wasn't worried about it anyway. And that the police were on the wrong track about some murders. And I said, 'What do you mean?' And she said to me, 'The murders at Benedict Canyon.' And just for a moment I didn't quite snap to what she meant, and I said, 'Benedict Canyon?' And she said, 'Yes. The Tate murders.' And she said, 'You know who did it, don't you?' And I said, 'No, I don't.' And she said, 'Well, you are looking at her.' "

"When she told you this, I take it you were probably somewhat shocked, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, what did Susan Atkins tell you with respect to the Tate murders, taking it trom the very beginning?"

"She said that after she entered the house, the Tate house, she proceeded toward the bedroom. She noticed a girl sitting in a chair reading a book; the girl didn't look up and notice her. She continued toward the bedroom and she reached the bedroom door. Sharon Tate was sitting in bed with a pillow propped up behind her and Jay Sebring was sitting at the side of the bed and they were engrossed in conversation, and at first she wasn't noticed."

"Did you ask her how Sharon Tate was dressed?"

"Yes, I did. She said she had a bikini bra and pants on."

"Did she identify the person who was seated at the bed with Sharon?"

"Yes, she did."

"What name did she give?"

"Jay Sebring."

"Did she say whether or not Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring eventually entered the living room of the Tate residence?"

"Yes, she did."

"After Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring entered the living room, what did Susan Atkins say took place?"

"She said that the other man-"

"Now, when you say 'other man,' did she indicate that this was a man other than Jay Sebring?"

"Yes, sir, she did."

"What did she say about this other man?"

"She said that the other man ran past her, and as he ran past her she stabbed him four or five times. He got to the door and he started screaming for help. He got out onto the front lawn and he was screaming, 'Help, help, somebody please help!' And with this she put her hand on her hip and she said to me, 'And would you believe that he was screaming "Help, help," and nobody came?' "

"This is what Susan Atkins told you?"

"That's right."

"What else did Sadie say she did?" "She said she was holding Sharon Tate's arms behind her, and that Sharon Tate looked at her and she said she was crying and said to her, 'Please, please don't kill me, I don't want to die. 1just want to have my baby.' She said, 'And I looked Sharon straight in the eye and I said to her, "Look, bitch, you might as well face it right now, you're going to die, and I don't feel a thing behind it," and in a few minutes she was dead.' "

"Did Susan Atkins say whether she in fact killed Sharon Tate?"

"Yes, she did."

"What did she say?"

"She said, 'I killed her.' "

"Did Miss Atkins say anything about blood at that point?"

"Yes, she did."

"What did she say?"

"She said that she had blood in her hand and she looked at her hand and she took her hand and she put it up to her mouth and she said, 'To taste death and yet give life, wow, what a trick.' "

"Did Miss Atkins ask you if you had ever had that type of experience with blood?"

"Yes, she did. She asked me in was interested in blood, and I said that I had seen it, and she said that it was really beautiful; that it was warm and sticky."

"Did she say anything about the eyes of the people there at the Tate residence?"

"Yes, she did. She told me that she wanted to take their eyes out and squash them against the wall, and cut their fingers off, but that she didn't have time."

"Did Miss Atkins tell you anything about who was the last to die at the Tate residence?"

"Yes, she did."

"What did she say?"

"She told me Sharon was the last to die."

"Did she say anything about a knife of hers?"

"Yes, she did. She told me that she lost her knife up there; that she looked for it for a few minutes but could not find it, and then she said she thought the dog had taken it outside and buried it."

"As Miss Atkins was discussing these murders with you, did she say anything about how it felt to stab a human being with a knife?"

"Yes, she did."

"What did she say?"

"She said that when the knife went in, it felt soft and that it was quite a thrill."

"Did you ask Miss Atkins if she knew the people who lived at the Tate residence?"

"Yes, I did."

"What did she say?"

"She said no, that she did not know the people that lived there, but that it did not matter who was there because they would all die."

"Did you ask Miss Atkins how she felt after these murders?"

"Yes, I did."

"What did she say, if anything?"

"She said that she was tired but she felt elated and at peace with herself."

"During your conversation with Miss Atkins did you again remind her that she should not tell people about what she was telling you?"

"Yes, I did."

"What did she say, if anything?"

"She smiled and she told me that she wasn't worried about it; that she knew how to play crazy and how to act like a little girl, and besides that, she had an alibi anyway."

"Would you describe for the judge and the jury in your own words Sadie's demeanor, Susan Atkins's demeanor, when she spoke to you about these murders?"

"Well, I would say she was highly excited about it, and was very intense about it, almost to the point of reliving it again and enjoying it."

"Did she speak to you loudly when she told you about these murders?"

"Yes, she did, she raised her voice quite a bit. In fact, a few times I told her to lower her voice."

"Did Miss Atkins say that she was sorry or had any remorse for these murders?"

"Absolutely no remorse, nothing."


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