Bobby Beausoleil—one of Charles Manson's followers who has been imprisoned for nearly half a century—is now up for parole, and Lady Gaga may have indirectly aided his case, TMZ reports.
Beausoleil was not a part of the Manson "family," but he was considered an associate, which led to his imprisonment in 1970 for first-degree murder. Despite being given a life sentence, during his 19th parole hearing he was recommended for release by a California parole panel earlier this month.
Transcripts from Beausoleil's hearing indicate that the inmate was asked several questions about his music in relation to Charles Manson and he assured that part of his life always remained separate. He bolstered his argument by mentioning that the soundtrack for Lady Gaga's documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two included two of his tracks.
"The Lady Gaga documentary used a portion of it, and it has been used in other films," he said. "It is respected on its own merits as art. I think it is important to try to see it as something that is not representative of something that is related to Manson," Beausoleil continued.
It turns out that the former Manson associate was correct, the film did sample two songs from his Lucifer Rising project and he was credited appropriately. Chris Moukarbel directed Gaga: Five Foot Two and it is unclear whether or not Gaga herself had any selection input when it came to the film's soundtrack.
After news of Beausoleil's parole hearing circulated, his attorney Jason Campbell, explained the panel's decision to CNN. "An inmate that is eligible for parole has a right to be paroled unless he or she is currently dangerous, and Mr. Beausoleil, in my view, hasn't been dangerous in decades," he said. "He has spent the last 50 years gradually growing and improving himself and in particular, over the last few decades, he's been pretty much a model inmate."
Beausoleil was convicted for the murder of music teacher Gary Hinman in 1969. Hinman had grown close to the Manson family prior to his death, and was ultimately murdered by Beausoleil over an outstanding debt he owed Manson. Two weeks after Beausoleil killed Hinman, the Manson "family" murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate, by far the most high-profile killing the cult leader and his followers executed. The Manson family murders will be projected on the big screen by Quentin Tarantino later this year.
Sharon's sister, Debra Tate, appeared at Beausoleil's parole hearing to oppose to his release.
