The cult members known to be involved in the August 1969 murder spree were Susan Atkins, Charles D. “Tex” Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, Linda Kasabian and Steven “Clem” Grogan. All except Kasabian, who served as the state’s “star witness” and was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony, were convicted.
In January 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people. He was sentenced to death, but that was commuted to life in prison after California’s Supreme Court invalidated all death sentences prior to 1972. He was 83 and serving nine life sentences in California’s Corcoran State Prison at the time of his death from natural causes in November 2017.
Manson had ordered a string of slayings throughout L.A. in an alleged effort to incite a race war in the United States.
According to the 1974 book Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, Manson dubbed his plot “Helter Skelter,” after the Beatles song. He apparently believed he would take power after the race war he created, the AP reported.
He was a little fellow and quite anti social. He was a danger to himself when he cut his forehead. Cried like a third grade girl when ya thumped on him with a Kel-lite.
ReplyDeleteI was in the US NAVY at the time in Long Beach stationed on a US NAVY Ship.... "Hot Times!!!!" .. and more!! Besides the L.A. Times ... there was at the time an Above Ground... "Under Ground" Press called the,"Los Angeles Free Press" that Carried the story .... "With Great Vigor!!!!"
ReplyDeleteToo Bad they aborted Death Penalty it would have been fun to watch the crew go for their last walk!!!t The Bitch is , then it would have been the "GAS!!!"..... 'Should have been the "ROPE!!!!!" ..... I have to google to see if ol' "SGT JOE" the Head Honcho in charge of Hangin' from Nuremburg was still alive ...... I recall a short vid. of him from back then , sittin' on a chair, cigar in his mouth , fixin the 13 nkots on a rope for one of the Nazi's!!!!! He would have done a great Job!!!!!
skybill