Patty Hearst
Kidnapped heiress who became a fugitive and later an actress.
Patricia Campbell Hearst (born February 20, 1954) is an American actress and member of the Hearst family, granddaughter of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. She first became known for her 1974 kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and the subsequent criminal activities she engaged in while with the group, leading to a highly publicized trial and conviction.
- born
- February 20, 1954
- field
- Actress, heiress
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army, bank robbery conviction, later acting career
Lore & Background
Patty Hearst was born in San Francisco, California, the third of five daughters of Randolph Apperson Hearst and Catherine Wood Campbell. She was raised in Hillsborough and attended private schools before studying art history at the University of California, Berkeley. On February 4, 1974, she was kidnapped from her Berkeley apartment by the Symbionese Liberation Army, a left-wing guerrilla group. The SLA demanded a massive food distribution for her release, which her family attempted but which descended into chaos. Hearst later testified she was held blindfolded in a closet, threatened with death, and raped by SLA members. She eventually announced she had joined the group, adopting the name Tania.
Reader's Guide
Hearst's case became a landmark in American legal and cultural history, raising questions about coercion, brainwashing, and criminal responsibility. She was convicted in 1976 for bank robbery and sentenced to 35 years in prison, later reduced to seven. Her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter and she was pardoned by President Bill Clinton. In the 1990s, she began an acting career after being approached by director John Waters. Her story remains a subject of debate, with some viewing her as a victim and others as a willing participant in the SLA's crimes.
Did You Know?
- Hearst was arrested 19 months after her kidnapping, by which time she was a fugitive wanted for serious crimes.
- At her trial, she testified she had been raped and threatened with death while held captive.
- She helped make improvised explosive devices used in two unsuccessful attempts to kill police officers in August 1975.
- While being booked into jail, she listed her occupation as 'Urban Guerilla'.
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