Who Was Patty Hearst?
Patty Hearst was the grand-daughter of legendary publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst. She was kidnapped at the age of 20 years by a small group of political activists calling themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army. Various demands were made of her father by the kidnappers, most of which he complied with, but when he demanded that his daughter be released before meeting any further demands, negotiations were broken off. In April, 1974, only two months after the kidnapping, the SLA robbed a bank. Examination of the bank’s camera footage showed that Patty Hearst was one of those who carried out the robbery, apparently a willing participant. Hearst sent a taped message to the media declaring that she had joined the SLA and now intended to fight for the freedom of the oppressed. The SLA continued its involvement in crime and many of its members were killed in a shoot-out with the police which was shown live on television. Patty Hearst remained at large for one and a half years foll
