In 1967 Charlie Manson emerged from his prison cell onto the streets of Haight-Ashbury and soon became the leader of followers who became known as the Family. Manson wanted to get into the music business, but when that failed his criminal personality emerged and he and some of his followers became involved in torture and murder. Most notably were the murders of actress Sharon Tate who was eight months pregnant and four others at her home, along with the murders of Leon and Rosemary LaBianca.
Born Charles Maddox
Charles Manson was born on November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His 16-year-old mother, Kathleen Maddox was promiscuous, a criminal, drank too much and failed to take care of her illegitimate child. Soon after his birth, Kathleen was briefly married to William Manson, and Charlie's last name changed from Maddox to Manson. Kathleen grew up in a strict religious home and seemed to rebel against all she was taught. In 1940, she was found guilty of Strong Armed Robbery and sent to prison.
Mixed Childhood Messages
Six-year-old Manson was moved to various relatives. His grandmother subjected him to the fanatical religious standards, from which his mother fled. One uncle he stayed with decided Manson was too feminine, so dressed him as a girl for his first day of school. Another uncle, while caring for Manson, killed himself in protest to the authorities taking his land. There were no consistent modes of behavior for Manson to live by, a fact that carried into his adulthood.
A Childhood Story
A story Manson often told described the lack of care his mother showed him. "Mom was in a cafe one afternoon with me on her lap. The waitress, a would-be mother without a child of her own, jokingly told my Mom she'd buy me from her. Mom replied, 'A pitcher of beer and he's yours.' The waitress set up the beer, Mom stuck around long enough to finish it off and left the place without me. Several days later my uncle had to search the town for the waitress and take me home."
Mom Chooses Boyfriend Over Manson
Charlie and his mother were reunited for a short time after her release from prison. This ended when Kathleen's boyfriend decided he did not want Charlie around. Kathleen tried but failed to get Manson into foster care. Rejected by his mother, Manson began to steal regularly. Some believe his instant attraction to theft stemmed from his need to call something his own, allowing for him to create an identity for himself. He ended up being sent to the Gibault Home for Boys in Indiana.
A Manipulative Loner
This was just the first of a lifetime of incarceration for Manson. Between stays at reform schools, he spent his time as a loner and daydreamer. In school he was manipulative, only performing for those from which he felt the could get something.
Charlie Manson's Teen Years
As Manson entered his middle teens, his life was much the same as his late childhood, spending his time either in or escaping out of reform schools. When out he lived on his on, using money from armed robberies and getting around in stolen cars. Charlie proved to be as poor a thief as he was a student, always managing to get caught and ending up back in an institution. While at the Indiana School for Boys in Plainfield, Indiana, Charlie claimed he was repeatedly raped and he soon escaped.
From Reform School to Prison
In 1951 Manson's criminal activity moved from state to more serious federal offenses after he was caught driving a stolen vehicle over state lines. For his crime, Charlie graduated from reform school to federal prison. He proved to be a less than model prisoner, with his first year resulting in eight assault charges. He was transferred to another prison and cleaned up his act, resulting in his release in 1954. During the next year, he met and married 17-year-old Rosalie Jean Willis.
Charles M. Manson Jr. is Born
Soon after their marriage, the newlyweds took off to California in a stolen car. Rosalie became pregnant, a fact which kept Charlie out of prison after being arrested with the stolen car. Being on probation failed to slow him down, however, and his probation was revoked and he was sent to Terminal Island Prison for three years. Rosalie gave birth to Charles M. Manson, Jr. (who committed suicide in 1993) and left town with a new boyfriend. Charlie never saw his wife or his child again.
Pimping and Stealing
Manson was released from prison in 1958 and supported himself as a pimp in Hollywood. By 1959 he was again in front of the courts after being arrested for trying to cash a check stolen from a mailbox. He received a 10-year suspended sentence, allowing him to meet and marry his second wife before his next arrest in June 1960. Again, facing federal charges for crossing state lines for the purpose of prostitution, Manson was found guilty and his probation was revoked.
Charles Luther Mason is Born
Manson spent the next seven years first at the McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington State then at Terminal Island in California. His wife divorced him after the birth of his second son, Charles Luther Manson. Charlie spent prison time learning to play guitar and studying Scientology. He was released in March 1967 and headed to Haight-Ashbury, where he blended in among many other outcasts who gravitated to the area in the 1960s.
Mary Brunner
Soon after arriving in the area he met Mary Brunner, who was a college graduate working as a librarian at UC Berkeley. He moved into her apartment and Brunner began falling in love with Manson. Her life changed drastically once Manson became part of it. She accepted his desire to sleep with other women, started doing drugs and soon left her job and began traveling with Manson around California. She was instrumental in helping entice people they met to join the Manson Family.
Manson the Guru
Lynette Fromme was one of the first to join Brunner and Manson. The three lived together on Cole Street in San Francisco. Charlie was busy playing his guitar, prophesizing and enjoying his role as mentor to those who found themselves lost in life. The Family began to grow as did Charlie's reputation for having a kind of sixth sense about him. His manipulative traits from childhood, polished during his years in prison, were now refined and his followers believed he was a guru/prophet.
Spahn's Movie Ranch
As the family grew, they moved like gypsies, eventually ending up at Spahn's Movie Ranch in Chatsworth. On April 1, 1968 Brunner gave birth to Manson's third son, Valentine Michael Manson, who he named after a character in Robert Heinlein's book "Stranger in a Strange Land." Manson, elated at having a son to carry on his legacy, made it known he wanted more family children. Brunner, now mother to Manson's child, grew even more loyal to his ideas and to the growing family.
Moving Around Hollywood's Elite
Manson was a small wry man, who was generally unattractive which, further enhanced by his poor personal hygiene, yet he was able to manueveur his way into what is generally known as closed doors in Hollywood. He was hired by Universal Studios to consult on a movie because of his ability to quickly quote passages in the Bible. He and the Family were invited to parties given by wealthy famous people. As he moved along those with astounding wealth, his dreams of becoming a famous musician grew.
Denis Wilson and Terry Melcher
Through a mutual friend, Manson met Dennis Wilson, drummer for the Beach Boys. Wilson and Manson became friends and Manson and his girls spent a lot of time hanging around Wilson's mansion, driving his cars and using his personal belongings, even while Wilson was out on the road. Son of actress Doris Day, Terry Melcher, was a record producer and friend of Wilson. Melcher and Manson met and Melcher showed interest in producing one of Manson's songs, but the deal never materialized.
Rejected From Hollywood
Dennis Wilson eventually pulled away from the family. He had his manager handle the dirty business of getting rid Manson and his followers. The opened doors to the mansion were suddenly shut, especially after rumors involving the daughters of famous people doing drugs and having sex on the property. For Manson, the rejection from Hollywood's elite and the failed production of his music taped into his anger and jealousy of those who were rich and famous.
The Bible and The Beatles
Manson was an advid reader of the Bible and often quoted from the Book of Revelation. In December 1968, he and Charles Watson listened to the new Beatle's album, The White Album, and Manson became obsessed with some of the songs, especially Helter Skelter and Revolution 9. His interpretation of the lyrics, woven in with his view of Revelations, resulted in a philosophy which envisioned an apocalypse brought on by a race war of blacks killing whites. According to his philosophy, the blacks would win, but would ultimately turn to Manson and The Family to help lead the new world.
The Fifth Angel
If Charlie actually believed in his teachings or if he just thought it all sounded impressive, is not known. What is known is that he convinced many that he was "the fifth angel" (Verse 1 of the Book of Revelation) who would be given "the key to the pit of the abyss." The only problem was that the revolution was taking too long and Charlie was getting anxious. In 1969, he began introducing his new theory that the blacks needed help to kick off the race war and it was up to the family to help.
Bernard Crowe
In the summer of 1969 Manson's message became darker as his followers' loyalty increased. This loyalty was constantly tested by Manson, as his instructions to his inner circle became increasingly violent in nature. It was also during this summer that Tex Watson stole $2,000 from drug dealer, Bernard Crowe, who in return threatened to retaliate. Manson ended the threats by shooting Crowe in the stomach. Manson thought he killed Crowe, but he survived and never reported the shooting to police.
Paranoia Runs Deep
After the shooting of Crowe, many of the closer Manson followers became paranoid that The Family's safety was in jeopardy. They armed themselves with guns and knives and kept a supply of ammunition around the ranch. Manson's teachings grew concerning where the world was headed and how important it was for the family to survive through the doomsday revolution of the near future. He confided in them that he was Jesus and they were his chosen disciples. And many believed him.
Gary Hinman - The First Known Murder
Gary Hinman was a music teacher who was working on his Ph.D. in Sociology at UCLA. He met some of the Manson family members and allowed them to sometimes stay at his Topanga Canyon home. He was also an alleged manufacturer of synthetic mescaline. On July 25, 1969, Manson sent family members Mary Brunner, Susan Atkins and Bobby Beausoleil to get cash from Hinman. There are two stories as to why Manson wanted the cash from Hinman. One involves a bad drug buy and the other was because Manson thought Hinman had inherited $20,000 and he wanted the money. Hinman refused to turn over the money and Manson and Bruce Davis joined the other family members to convince him otherwise. An argument erupted between the two and Manson pulled out a sword and cut off Hinman's ear. Afterwards, Manson and Davis left in one of Hinman's cars and the three left behind were instructed not to let Hinman go until he turned over the money. The group held Hinman for three days, finally stabbing him to death as he begged them to go away. The killing was said to be ordered by Manson. Afterwards, to make the police believe it was the work of the Black Panthers, the group wrote the words "Political Piggy" in Hinman's blood next to a bloody paw print on the wall. On August 6, 1969, Bobby Beausoleil was arrested for Hinman's murder after police stopped him while driving one of Hinman's cars. Some believe his arrest was the real motivation behind the killing spree that began a few days later. The plan was to murder wealthy white people and make it look like the murders were committed by blacks. This would confuse investigators and they would release Beausoleil from prison. Others believe the murders began because it was time for the revolution to begin, the beginning of Helter Skelter.
The Tate Murders
On the night of August 8, 1969, Charles "Tex" Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian were sent by Charlie to the old home of Terry Melcher at 10050 Cielo Drive. Their instructions were to kill everyone at the house and make it appear like Hinman's murder, with words and symbols written in blood on the walls. The four did as they were told and brutally killed Steven Parent, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, Sharon Tate and Sharon Tate's unborn child.
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
The next day Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Steve Grogan, Leslie Van Houten, and Linda Kasabian went to the home of Leno and Rosemary Labianca. Manson and Watson tied up the couple and Manson left. He told Van Houten and Krenwinkel to go in and kill the LaBiancas. The three separated the couple and murdered them, then had dinner and a shower and hitchhiked back to Spahn Ranch. Manson, Atkins, Grogan and Kasabian drove around looking for others to kill, but failed.
Manson and The Family Arrested
At Spahn Ranch rumors of the group's involvement began to circulate. So did the police helicopters above the ranch, but because of unrelated investigation. Parts of stolen cars were spotted in and around the ranch by police in the helicopters. On August 16, 1969, Manson and the Family were rounded up by police and taken in on suspicion of auto theft (not an unfamiliar charge for Manson). The search warrant ended up being invalid because of a date error and the group was released.
Donald "Shorty" Shea
Charlie blamed the arrests on Spahn's ranch hand Donald "Shorty" Shea for snitching on the family. It was no secret that Shorty wanted the family off the ranch. Manson decided it was time for the family to move to Barker Ranch near Death Valley, but before leaving, Manson, Bruce Davis, Tex Watson and Steve Grogan killed Shorty and buried his body behind the ranch.
The Barker Ranch Raid
The Family moved onto the Barker Ranch and spent time turning stolen cars into dune buggys. On October 10, 1969 Barker Ranch was raided after investigators spotted stolen cars on the property and traced evidence of an arson back to Manson. Manson was not around during the first Family roundup, but returned on October 12 and was arrested with seven other family members. When police arrived Manson hid under a small bathroom cabinet, but was quickly discovered.
The Confession of Susan Atkins
One of the biggest breaks in the case came when Susan Atkins boasted in detail about the murders to her prison cell mates. She gave specific details about Manson and the killings. She also told of other famous people the Family planned on killing. Her cellmate reported the information to the authorities and Atkins was offered a life sentence in return for her testimony. She refused the offer, but repeated the prison cell story to the grand jury. Later Atkins recannted her grand jury testimony.
The Grand Jury Indictment
It took 20 minutes for the grand jury to hand down murder indictments on Manson, Watson, Krenwinkel, Atkins, Kasabian, and Van Houten. Watson was fighting extradition from Texas and Kasabian became the prosecutions main witness. Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and Van Houten were tried together. Chief prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, offered Kasabian prosecutorial immunity for her testimony. Kasabian agreed, giving Bugliosi the final piece of the puzzle needed to convict Manson and the others. Bugliosi's Challenge - Manson Never Murdered Anyone: The challenge for Bugliosi was to get the jury to find Manson as responsible for the murders as those who actually committed the murders. Manson's courtroom antics helped Bugliosi accomplish this task. On the first day of court he showed up with a bloody swastika carved into his forehead. He tried starring down Bugliosi and with a series of hand gestures had the three women disrupt the courtroom, all in hopes of a mistrial.
Manson Is Found Guilty
It was Kasabian's account of the murders and of the control that Manson had over the Family that nailed Bugliosi's case. She told the jury that no family member ever wanted to tell Charlie Manson "no." On January 25, 1971 the jury returned a guilty verdict of all defendants and on all counts of first-degree murder. Manson, like the other three defendants, was sentenced to death in the gas chamber. Manson shouted, "You people have no authority over me," as he was led off in handcuffs.
Manson's Prison Years
Manson was originally sent to San Quentin State Prison, but was transferred to Vacaville then to Folsom and then back to San Quentin because of his constant conflicts with prison officials and other inmates. In 1989 he was sent to California's Corcoran State Prison where he currently resides. Because of various infractions in prison, Manson has spent a considerable amount of time under disciplinary custody (or as prisoners call it, "the hole"), where he was kept in isolation for 23 hours a day and kept handcuffed when moving within the general prison areas. When not in the hole he, is kept in the prison's Protective Housing Unit (PHU) because of threats made on his life. Since his incarceration he has been raped, set on fire, beaten several times and poisoned. While in PHU he is allowed to visit with other inmates, have books, art supplies and other restricted privileges. Over the years he has been charged with various crimes including conspiracy to distribute narcotics, destruction of state property, and assault of a prison guard.
Born Charles Maddox
Charles Manson was born on November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His 16-year-old mother, Kathleen Maddox was promiscuous, a criminal, drank too much and failed to take care of her illegitimate child. Soon after his birth, Kathleen was briefly married to William Manson, and Charlie's last name changed from Maddox to Manson. Kathleen grew up in a strict religious home and seemed to rebel against all she was taught. In 1940, she was found guilty of Strong Armed Robbery and sent to prison.
Mixed Childhood Messages
Six-year-old Manson was moved to various relatives. His grandmother subjected him to the fanatical religious standards, from which his mother fled. One uncle he stayed with decided Manson was too feminine, so dressed him as a girl for his first day of school. Another uncle, while caring for Manson, killed himself in protest to the authorities taking his land. There were no consistent modes of behavior for Manson to live by, a fact that carried into his adulthood.
A Childhood Story
A story Manson often told described the lack of care his mother showed him. "Mom was in a cafe one afternoon with me on her lap. The waitress, a would-be mother without a child of her own, jokingly told my Mom she'd buy me from her. Mom replied, 'A pitcher of beer and he's yours.' The waitress set up the beer, Mom stuck around long enough to finish it off and left the place without me. Several days later my uncle had to search the town for the waitress and take me home."
Mom Chooses Boyfriend Over Manson
Charlie and his mother were reunited for a short time after her release from prison. This ended when Kathleen's boyfriend decided he did not want Charlie around. Kathleen tried but failed to get Manson into foster care. Rejected by his mother, Manson began to steal regularly. Some believe his instant attraction to theft stemmed from his need to call something his own, allowing for him to create an identity for himself. He ended up being sent to the Gibault Home for Boys in Indiana.
A Manipulative Loner
This was just the first of a lifetime of incarceration for Manson. Between stays at reform schools, he spent his time as a loner and daydreamer. In school he was manipulative, only performing for those from which he felt the could get something.
Charlie Manson's Teen Years
As Manson entered his middle teens, his life was much the same as his late childhood, spending his time either in or escaping out of reform schools. When out he lived on his on, using money from armed robberies and getting around in stolen cars. Charlie proved to be as poor a thief as he was a student, always managing to get caught and ending up back in an institution. While at the Indiana School for Boys in Plainfield, Indiana, Charlie claimed he was repeatedly raped and he soon escaped.
From Reform School to Prison
In 1951 Manson's criminal activity moved from state to more serious federal offenses after he was caught driving a stolen vehicle over state lines. For his crime, Charlie graduated from reform school to federal prison. He proved to be a less than model prisoner, with his first year resulting in eight assault charges. He was transferred to another prison and cleaned up his act, resulting in his release in 1954. During the next year, he met and married 17-year-old Rosalie Jean Willis.
Charles M. Manson Jr. is Born
Soon after their marriage, the newlyweds took off to California in a stolen car. Rosalie became pregnant, a fact which kept Charlie out of prison after being arrested with the stolen car. Being on probation failed to slow him down, however, and his probation was revoked and he was sent to Terminal Island Prison for three years. Rosalie gave birth to Charles M. Manson, Jr. (who committed suicide in 1993) and left town with a new boyfriend. Charlie never saw his wife or his child again.
Pimping and Stealing
Manson was released from prison in 1958 and supported himself as a pimp in Hollywood. By 1959 he was again in front of the courts after being arrested for trying to cash a check stolen from a mailbox. He received a 10-year suspended sentence, allowing him to meet and marry his second wife before his next arrest in June 1960. Again, facing federal charges for crossing state lines for the purpose of prostitution, Manson was found guilty and his probation was revoked.
Charles Luther Mason is Born
Manson spent the next seven years first at the McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington State then at Terminal Island in California. His wife divorced him after the birth of his second son, Charles Luther Manson. Charlie spent prison time learning to play guitar and studying Scientology. He was released in March 1967 and headed to Haight-Ashbury, where he blended in among many other outcasts who gravitated to the area in the 1960s.
Mary Brunner
Soon after arriving in the area he met Mary Brunner, who was a college graduate working as a librarian at UC Berkeley. He moved into her apartment and Brunner began falling in love with Manson. Her life changed drastically once Manson became part of it. She accepted his desire to sleep with other women, started doing drugs and soon left her job and began traveling with Manson around California. She was instrumental in helping entice people they met to join the Manson Family.
Manson the Guru
Lynette Fromme was one of the first to join Brunner and Manson. The three lived together on Cole Street in San Francisco. Charlie was busy playing his guitar, prophesizing and enjoying his role as mentor to those who found themselves lost in life. The Family began to grow as did Charlie's reputation for having a kind of sixth sense about him. His manipulative traits from childhood, polished during his years in prison, were now refined and his followers believed he was a guru/prophet.
Spahn's Movie Ranch
As the family grew, they moved like gypsies, eventually ending up at Spahn's Movie Ranch in Chatsworth. On April 1, 1968 Brunner gave birth to Manson's third son, Valentine Michael Manson, who he named after a character in Robert Heinlein's book "Stranger in a Strange Land." Manson, elated at having a son to carry on his legacy, made it known he wanted more family children. Brunner, now mother to Manson's child, grew even more loyal to his ideas and to the growing family.
Moving Around Hollywood's Elite
Manson was a small wry man, who was generally unattractive which, further enhanced by his poor personal hygiene, yet he was able to manueveur his way into what is generally known as closed doors in Hollywood. He was hired by Universal Studios to consult on a movie because of his ability to quickly quote passages in the Bible. He and the Family were invited to parties given by wealthy famous people. As he moved along those with astounding wealth, his dreams of becoming a famous musician grew.
Denis Wilson and Terry Melcher
Through a mutual friend, Manson met Dennis Wilson, drummer for the Beach Boys. Wilson and Manson became friends and Manson and his girls spent a lot of time hanging around Wilson's mansion, driving his cars and using his personal belongings, even while Wilson was out on the road. Son of actress Doris Day, Terry Melcher, was a record producer and friend of Wilson. Melcher and Manson met and Melcher showed interest in producing one of Manson's songs, but the deal never materialized.
Rejected From Hollywood
Dennis Wilson eventually pulled away from the family. He had his manager handle the dirty business of getting rid Manson and his followers. The opened doors to the mansion were suddenly shut, especially after rumors involving the daughters of famous people doing drugs and having sex on the property. For Manson, the rejection from Hollywood's elite and the failed production of his music taped into his anger and jealousy of those who were rich and famous.
The Bible and The Beatles
Manson was an advid reader of the Bible and often quoted from the Book of Revelation. In December 1968, he and Charles Watson listened to the new Beatle's album, The White Album, and Manson became obsessed with some of the songs, especially Helter Skelter and Revolution 9. His interpretation of the lyrics, woven in with his view of Revelations, resulted in a philosophy which envisioned an apocalypse brought on by a race war of blacks killing whites. According to his philosophy, the blacks would win, but would ultimately turn to Manson and The Family to help lead the new world.
The Fifth Angel
If Charlie actually believed in his teachings or if he just thought it all sounded impressive, is not known. What is known is that he convinced many that he was "the fifth angel" (Verse 1 of the Book of Revelation) who would be given "the key to the pit of the abyss." The only problem was that the revolution was taking too long and Charlie was getting anxious. In 1969, he began introducing his new theory that the blacks needed help to kick off the race war and it was up to the family to help.
Bernard Crowe
In the summer of 1969 Manson's message became darker as his followers' loyalty increased. This loyalty was constantly tested by Manson, as his instructions to his inner circle became increasingly violent in nature. It was also during this summer that Tex Watson stole $2,000 from drug dealer, Bernard Crowe, who in return threatened to retaliate. Manson ended the threats by shooting Crowe in the stomach. Manson thought he killed Crowe, but he survived and never reported the shooting to police.
Paranoia Runs Deep
After the shooting of Crowe, many of the closer Manson followers became paranoid that The Family's safety was in jeopardy. They armed themselves with guns and knives and kept a supply of ammunition around the ranch. Manson's teachings grew concerning where the world was headed and how important it was for the family to survive through the doomsday revolution of the near future. He confided in them that he was Jesus and they were his chosen disciples. And many believed him.
Gary Hinman - The First Known Murder
Gary Hinman was a music teacher who was working on his Ph.D. in Sociology at UCLA. He met some of the Manson family members and allowed them to sometimes stay at his Topanga Canyon home. He was also an alleged manufacturer of synthetic mescaline. On July 25, 1969, Manson sent family members Mary Brunner, Susan Atkins and Bobby Beausoleil to get cash from Hinman. There are two stories as to why Manson wanted the cash from Hinman. One involves a bad drug buy and the other was because Manson thought Hinman had inherited $20,000 and he wanted the money. Hinman refused to turn over the money and Manson and Bruce Davis joined the other family members to convince him otherwise. An argument erupted between the two and Manson pulled out a sword and cut off Hinman's ear. Afterwards, Manson and Davis left in one of Hinman's cars and the three left behind were instructed not to let Hinman go until he turned over the money. The group held Hinman for three days, finally stabbing him to death as he begged them to go away. The killing was said to be ordered by Manson. Afterwards, to make the police believe it was the work of the Black Panthers, the group wrote the words "Political Piggy" in Hinman's blood next to a bloody paw print on the wall. On August 6, 1969, Bobby Beausoleil was arrested for Hinman's murder after police stopped him while driving one of Hinman's cars. Some believe his arrest was the real motivation behind the killing spree that began a few days later. The plan was to murder wealthy white people and make it look like the murders were committed by blacks. This would confuse investigators and they would release Beausoleil from prison. Others believe the murders began because it was time for the revolution to begin, the beginning of Helter Skelter.
The Tate Murders
On the night of August 8, 1969, Charles "Tex" Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian were sent by Charlie to the old home of Terry Melcher at 10050 Cielo Drive. Their instructions were to kill everyone at the house and make it appear like Hinman's murder, with words and symbols written in blood on the walls. The four did as they were told and brutally killed Steven Parent, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, Sharon Tate and Sharon Tate's unborn child.
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
The next day Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Steve Grogan, Leslie Van Houten, and Linda Kasabian went to the home of Leno and Rosemary Labianca. Manson and Watson tied up the couple and Manson left. He told Van Houten and Krenwinkel to go in and kill the LaBiancas. The three separated the couple and murdered them, then had dinner and a shower and hitchhiked back to Spahn Ranch. Manson, Atkins, Grogan and Kasabian drove around looking for others to kill, but failed.
Manson and The Family Arrested
At Spahn Ranch rumors of the group's involvement began to circulate. So did the police helicopters above the ranch, but because of unrelated investigation. Parts of stolen cars were spotted in and around the ranch by police in the helicopters. On August 16, 1969, Manson and the Family were rounded up by police and taken in on suspicion of auto theft (not an unfamiliar charge for Manson). The search warrant ended up being invalid because of a date error and the group was released.
Donald "Shorty" Shea
Charlie blamed the arrests on Spahn's ranch hand Donald "Shorty" Shea for snitching on the family. It was no secret that Shorty wanted the family off the ranch. Manson decided it was time for the family to move to Barker Ranch near Death Valley, but before leaving, Manson, Bruce Davis, Tex Watson and Steve Grogan killed Shorty and buried his body behind the ranch.
The Barker Ranch Raid
The Family moved onto the Barker Ranch and spent time turning stolen cars into dune buggys. On October 10, 1969 Barker Ranch was raided after investigators spotted stolen cars on the property and traced evidence of an arson back to Manson. Manson was not around during the first Family roundup, but returned on October 12 and was arrested with seven other family members. When police arrived Manson hid under a small bathroom cabinet, but was quickly discovered.
The Confession of Susan Atkins
One of the biggest breaks in the case came when Susan Atkins boasted in detail about the murders to her prison cell mates. She gave specific details about Manson and the killings. She also told of other famous people the Family planned on killing. Her cellmate reported the information to the authorities and Atkins was offered a life sentence in return for her testimony. She refused the offer, but repeated the prison cell story to the grand jury. Later Atkins recannted her grand jury testimony.
The Grand Jury Indictment
It took 20 minutes for the grand jury to hand down murder indictments on Manson, Watson, Krenwinkel, Atkins, Kasabian, and Van Houten. Watson was fighting extradition from Texas and Kasabian became the prosecutions main witness. Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and Van Houten were tried together. Chief prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, offered Kasabian prosecutorial immunity for her testimony. Kasabian agreed, giving Bugliosi the final piece of the puzzle needed to convict Manson and the others. Bugliosi's Challenge - Manson Never Murdered Anyone: The challenge for Bugliosi was to get the jury to find Manson as responsible for the murders as those who actually committed the murders. Manson's courtroom antics helped Bugliosi accomplish this task. On the first day of court he showed up with a bloody swastika carved into his forehead. He tried starring down Bugliosi and with a series of hand gestures had the three women disrupt the courtroom, all in hopes of a mistrial.
Manson Is Found Guilty
It was Kasabian's account of the murders and of the control that Manson had over the Family that nailed Bugliosi's case. She told the jury that no family member ever wanted to tell Charlie Manson "no." On January 25, 1971 the jury returned a guilty verdict of all defendants and on all counts of first-degree murder. Manson, like the other three defendants, was sentenced to death in the gas chamber. Manson shouted, "You people have no authority over me," as he was led off in handcuffs.
Manson's Prison Years
Manson was originally sent to San Quentin State Prison, but was transferred to Vacaville then to Folsom and then back to San Quentin because of his constant conflicts with prison officials and other inmates. In 1989 he was sent to California's Corcoran State Prison where he currently resides. Because of various infractions in prison, Manson has spent a considerable amount of time under disciplinary custody (or as prisoners call it, "the hole"), where he was kept in isolation for 23 hours a day and kept handcuffed when moving within the general prison areas. When not in the hole he, is kept in the prison's Protective Housing Unit (PHU) because of threats made on his life. Since his incarceration he has been raped, set on fire, beaten several times and poisoned. While in PHU he is allowed to visit with other inmates, have books, art supplies and other restricted privileges. Over the years he has been charged with various crimes including conspiracy to distribute narcotics, destruction of state property, and assault of a prison guard.