This episode of Last Podcast On The Left dives into the harrowing story of Patty Hearst's kidnapping and coercion by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), an extremist group determined to violently overthrow the government. The SLA subjected Hearst to intense psychological manipulation, coercing her into participating in criminal activities like armed bank robberies.
The hosts examine the SLA's history of bombings and violent crimes, including the murder of an innocent bystander. They also detail Hearst's trial and her ultimately unsuccessful "brainwashing" defense, which sparked debate around personal responsibility under coercion. The episode covers Hearst's aftermath: her imprisonment, her eventual acting career with John Waters, and the resolution for the SLA's remaining members.
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Patty Hearst was kidnapped from her Berkeley apartment in a violent ordeal that subjected her to intense psychological manipulation by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA). Marcus Parks notes the similarities between her experience and that of POWs undergoing mental reprogramming. She was forced to constantly relocate, living in a constant state of captivity and control as the SLA sought recruits.
The SLA coerced Patty into participating in their criminal activities, including armed bank robberies which they broadcast as evidence of her "revolutionary" conversion. Her faltering belief in their cause was evident in depressed recordings. Ultimately, she took part in bank heists like the Crocker robbery, her life far removed from normalcy.
The SLA was an extremist group led by the unstable "Field Marshal" Sing, seeking violent government overthrow. Despite initial ineptitude, they engaged in bombings and murdered an innocent bystander during a bank robbery. Their infamous showdown with police saw members killed in a fiery shootout after barricading themselves.
Arrested for the Hibernia robbery, Patty claimed brainwashing by the SLA diminished her culpability. Renowned psychologists testified on the SLA's coercive tactics, but this unique defense failed to convince the court. Hearst was found guilty and sentenced to 7 years, though she maintained unwilling involvement. President Carter later commuted her sentence.
After imprisonment, Patty reclaimed her identity and eventually launched an acting career with director John Waters, who supported her during the trial. Remaining SLA members faced belated convictions for crimes like murder. Patty's case sparked debate around personal responsibility under coercion.
1-Page Summary
Patty Hearst's ordeal began with a violent kidnapping from her Berkeley apartment, marking the start of a controversial chapter in American history. Her time with the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) left her under intense psychological pressure that would later raise questions about coercion and free will.
The SLA kidnapped Patty Hearst and subjected her to a harrowing series of psychological manipulations aimed at converting her into a revolutionary. Marcus Parks notes the similarities between Patty's psychological state and that of American POWs who underwent intense manipulation, suggesting that her experience with the SLA was akin to a mental reprogramming. During her 591 days of captivity, she believed she was about to be shot by the FBI at the time of the raid—a clear reflection of the level of fear and control under which she lived.
Patty, along with SLA members the Harrises, was forced to constantly relocate, often wearing the same clothes, indicating an environment of unrelenting captivity and control. The SLA aimed to recruit members for a second iteration of the group, perpetuating a cycle of captivity and recruitment.
The narrative of Patty Hearst's involvement with the SLA unfolds through indirect mentions of her participation in criminal activities. Her role in the bank robberies, often as a driver, was perceived as something within her capabilities due to her small stature. Meanwhile, the SLA escalated their acti ...
Patty Hearst's kidnapping and captivity with the SLA
The SLA, an extremist left-wing group led by the charismatic "Field Marshal" Sing, sought to overthrow the US government using violent means but eventually met a tragic and violent end.
The SLA, characterized as disorganized and needing to actively look for resources, was known for stockpiling ammunition without a steady supply. The group attempted to transition into a genuine ultra-left political group, despite its original ineptitude. Their leader, known as General Field Marshal Tico, had a past injury from a touch football game in Vietnam, identifiable by a surgical scar.
"Field Marshal" Sing, also known as Donald Defreeze, was the unstable and delusional leader of the SLA. The circumstances of his death, with a high concentration of smoke in his lungs and a shot to his temple, suggest that he committed suicide in a "Hitlerian ecstasy" during the final standoff with the police, making him the last to die in the loaded and fiery collapse of their hideout.
The SLA's criminal activities included a series of bombings, a murder during a bank robbery, and a string of robberies. The murder of Myra Opchell, who was killed by member Yolanda Harris, demonstrated the group's capacity for violence and disregard for innocent life. This event led to the SLA's infamy, with the news describing the heist as an "SLA style robbery." The group's violent tendencies continued during a shootout in Compton, with the original events leading to a series of violent confrontations with police.
The history and activities of the SLA
Patty Hearst's trial unveiled a complex legal battle involving claims of brainwashing and diminished culpability. Hearst faced charges for the Hibernia bank robbery but argued that she had been coerced by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).
Patty Hearst was apprehended and charged for her participation in a Hibernia Bank robbery on April 15, 1974. During her arrest, Hearst presented a clenched fist salute and identified herself as an "Urban Gorilla," which seemed to show an acceptance of her role within the SLA. Her lawyers contended that the psychological manipulation by the SLA was so extensive that it amounted to brainwashing, which should reduce her culpability. Renowned psychologists Dr. Louis Jolyon West and Dr. Martin Orne, both familiar with MK-Ultra experiments, testified on the psychological effects of the SLA's treatment on Hearst, aimed at demonstrating her lack of free will during the crimes.
The brainwashing defense was a unique strategy; however, it failed to convince the court of Hearst's non-complicity. The prosecution's approach was direct, showcasing evidence of Hearst actively partaking in the robbery and her confession. They also highlighted her subsequent actions which included possibilities for escape yet remained unexecuted, suggesting she was not under the duress the defense described.
Doubts about Patty Hearst's brainwashing defense culminated in a guilty verdict. The prosecution undermined the brainwashing argument with transcr ...
Patty Hearst's trial and legal defenses
After her involvement with the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and subsequent imprisonment, Patty Hearst transitioned away from the revolutionary persona "Tania" and reclaimed her identity as Patty Hearst. She moved into an apartment with individuals who treated her as a human being and started to piece her life back together. Patty married her bodyguard in 1979 and by 1982 had written "Every Secret Thing," her account of her ordeal, which later premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Meeting director John Waters at the film festival, who had attended her trial and was a staunch supporter, marked the beginning of Patty Hearst's successful acting career. Waters cast her in his film "Cry Baby," and she went on to appear in five of his movies. Alongside acting, Patty openly discussed her time with the SLA, even joking about it with Waters, and engaged in philanthropic work, particularly related to children's causes in Congressman Leo Ryan's name. Adding another feather to her cap, Patty won the Westminster dog show with a shih tzu named Rocket.
The remaining SLA members, particularly Bill and Emily Harris, faced justice after years. As the only ones left from the Compton shootout, their revolutionary fervor was heightened by the loss of their comrades. During the "missing year" after the shootout, Patty was embroiled in more criminal activities with the SLA. Eventually, the Harrises served only six years for kidnapping Hearst.
It wasn't until 2002 that Bill and Emily Harris, along with Michael Borton and Kat ...
The aftermath and long-term impacts of Patty Hearst's involvement with the SLA
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