Published 10:07 20 Nov 2017 GMT

Infamous cult leader Charles Manson is dead at 83

Charles Manson, the leader of the infamous "Helter Skelter" gang that plagued California in the late 1960s, has passed away this week. He died at the age of 83, after nearly five decades spent in prison. In 1969 he was charged with orchestrating a series of murders along with members of the "Manson Family", a quasi-commune through which he ordered followers to kill several people, including Sharon Tate - a pregnant actress married to director Roman Polanski. He told his followers that an apocalyptic race war was coming, and tried to further instigate it with his crimes. He described this supposed collapse of society as "helter skelter", a term borrowed from a Beatles song and found written in blood at one of the crime scenes. Manson and three of his followers went on trial in June 1970, while a fifth suspect was given immunity for her testimony against the others. The trial lasted nearly 10 months, while some of his followers held vigils outside the courthouse. He had many outbursts in court, including once when he was denied permission to question a witness, so leaped over the defense table and tried to attack the judge. During the process, Manson shaved his head and trimmed his beard, telling reporters: "I am the devil, and the devil always has a bald head". In January 1971 the jury convicted all four defendents of multiple counts of first-degree murder. When they sentenced them to death, Manson shouted to the jurors: "You people have no authority over me". Three months later, another follower of his went to trial, was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder and also sentenced to death. These sentences were commuted to life in prison the following year, when the Supreme Court temporarily banned the death penalty. Even in prison he remained in the spotlight, with a series of notorious interviews given during the 1980s. His face was found on t-shirts, his story was told countless times in books, documentaries and movies; many of the songs he had written were later played by bands across the world. "Charlie was always a con man," Sandi Gibbons, a reported who covered the trial, said in 1999, "And now he’s managed to con a whole new generation of people." Sharon Tate's sister, Debra Tate, told The Associated Press in January 2017 that, as a Catholic, she had no ill wishes for her sister’s killers. "I would probably say a prayer for them and shed a tear and ask God to have mercy on their souls," Tate said. Manson's prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, had much less sympathy for the killer when he was asked in 2009 whether he was sorry the death sentence wasn't carried out. "I don’t use the word sorry, but he should have been executed, and I told the jury, if this was not a proper case for the imposition of the death penalty, then no case ever would be," Bugliosi, who died two years ago, said, "Manson did not deserve to live." Manson was denied parole a dozen times during his time in prison, though he didn't attend his most recent hearing in April 2012. He was also hospitalised for gastrointestinal issues at Bakersfield Hospital in January 2017, prior to his hospitalisation last week. He was taken from Corcoran State Prison in California, where he had been serving a life sentence, to a hospital in Bakersfield last week, where it has been reported that he passed away today.

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Published 15:07 27 Nov 2017 GMT

The contents of Charles Manson's will have just been revealed

Tom Wood

Last week Charles Manson had passed away at the age of 83. He was serving a life sentence in Corcoran State Prison in California, when he was hospitalised a week prior to his death. Now, amidst various claims to his estate, it has been reported that Manson's will leaves all his possessions and a "small fortune" to an anonymous pen pal. The infamous leader of the "Helter Skelter" gang in California, Manson had spent nearly 50 years in prison after his arrest in 1969. As a cult leader, he ordered members of the "Manson Family" commune to conduct several murders, including that of Sharon Tate, a pregnant actress married to Roman Polanski. He preached that an apocalyptic race war was coming, which he tried to instigate and escalate by committing murders and crimes. He believed that African-Americans were due to rise up and take control over the U.S, while in-fighting between white Americans would ultimately destroy them. He believed that The Beatles' White Album was directed at the Manson Family, giving them instructions through code. It was his firm belief that they should help bring about this chaos, so that they could rule over those that remained after the war, riding out the conflict in a secret city beneath Death Valley. He described this supposed collapse of society as "helter skelter", a term borrowed from a Beatles song and found written in blood at one of the crime scenes. He and three of his followers went on trial in 1970, a 10-month trial in which his followers held vigils outside the courthouse. In prison he shaved his head and grew his beard, telling reporters: "I am the devil, and the devil always has a bald head", and later carved a swastika onto his forehead. His estate is valued at an estimated net worth of $400,000 as of 2017. But how does a man imprisoned for so long, and hated by millions, have so much money? In his time in prison conducted various interviews in the following decades, while his face and name found its way onto t-shirts, and songs he had written were covered by bands across the world. "Charlie was always a con man," Sandi Gibbons, a reported who covered the trial, said in 1999, "And now he’s managed to con a whole new generation of people." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/933985058116866048]]

Now, according to TMZ, he constructed a will in 2002 which leaves his entire estate to his pen pal. They reported that he had exchanged letters and phone calls with this pen pal for two decades, eventually meeting in person. This pen pal, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed that he spoke to him the last time on October 21, mere weeks before his death. TMZ claims that they verified the document is authentic, that it is his handwriting, and it disinherits his known and unknown children, ex-wives, family members and friends. As well as his personal belongings, his "exclusive music catalog", and the image rights and use of his name, they would have claim to the aforementioned fortune. He supposedly earned this money through selling paintings, t-shirts, photos, interviews and other merchandise. However, this pen pal isn't the only one to lay claim to Manson's estate. His friend Ben Gurecki claims he received a 2017-dated will from Manson that names Matthew Roberts, his self-proclaimed son, as the main beneficiary. Gurecki and the pen pal have separately said they intend to claim Manson's body next week. If they don't do so within 10 days of his death, it will be cremated by the prison.

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Published 10:23 16 Nov 2017 GMT

Sources reveal that Charles Manson is on his death bed in California

Tom Wood

For decades, Charles Manson has been considered to be one of the most notorious criminals of the western world. The convicted mass murderer and former cult leader was responsible for the murder of film director, Roman Polanski's pregnant wife, Valley of the Dolls actress, Sharon Tate, as well as six others during the late 1960's. Manson who believed in "Helter Skelter" - an impending race war - was the figurehead of the quasi-commune, the Manson Family, until he was found guilty of first-degree murder in 1971. While he was initially sentenced to death, the ruling was downgraded to life imprisonment when the state of California revoked the death penalty statute in 1972. And now, the 83-year-old is allegedly on his death bed. Authorities confirmed on Wednesday evening that Manson was back in Bakersfield hospital. But details of his condition remain largely unknown. Spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Vicky Waters, refused to issue a statement, stating that federal and state medical privacy laws prevented her "from commenting on protected health information for any inmate in our custody". She did affirm, however, that Manson is alive. Manson was taken to Bakersfield Hospital three days ago to undergo emergency treatment, and he has remained there ever since. Speaking to TMZ, sources asserted that Manson looked "ashen" and that they did not expect him to last much longer. "It's not going to get any better for him", they said. "It's just a matter of time". Manson's health has been deteriorating for quite some time now. Back in January, the convict was rushed to Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield for severe intestinal bleeding and a sigmoid lesion. Speaking at the time, a insider source said, "He's not good. His health is failing".

The notorious former cult leader and members of his so-called "family" were convicted of killing the heavily pregnant actress, Sharon Tate, her unborn child and six others during a two-day rampage through Los Angeles, California in August 1969. The slain included, 35-year-old Jay Sebring, 32-year-old Voytek Frykowski, 25-year-old Abigail Folger and 18-year-old Steven Parent. Prosecutors asserted that Manson, who has been in prison for 40 years, was attempting to incite an apocalyptic race war, and believed that the murders would help precipitate it. The race war, which he dubbed "Helter Skelter" was taken from the Beatles song of the same name. Manson's cult included disaffected young recruits, who he manipulated into entering into the commune and killing on his behalf. Certainly, whilst Manson was not present at any of the killings, he was convicted of murder for them, alongside three of his loyal subjects, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkle and Leslie Van Houten. And despite four decades of incarceration, it's clear that Manson has not left his old ways behind. Far from being a model prisoner, the 83-year-old has purportedly been reprimanded for assault, repeated possession of a weapon, being abusive to staff and for possessing a mobile phone. I guess some people never change, eh?

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Published 16:08 28 Feb 2023 GMT

Manson family member Linda Kasabian dies aged 73

Tom Wood

Linda Kasabian - a member of the notorious Manson cult led by Charles Manson - has reportedly passed away in Washington State.

TMZ reported that the 73-year-old died in a Tacoma hospital on January 21, with her body subsequently cremated. A cause of death was apparently not disclosed. Though, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, she had changed her surname to Chiochios to distance herself from the Manson family and protect her identity.

Kasabian had received immunity in exchange for becoming a key prosecution witness in the 1970-1971 Manson trial, and her shocking court testimony helped prosecutors convict Manson and several other cult members, which saw them sent to prison for life.

She acted as a driver and lookout during the nights the Manson family went on a depraved killing spree across Los Angeles in 1969, the Daily Beast detailed.

Having spent his early adulthood in prison, Manson was released in 1967 and moved to California where he managed to attract a group of hippies, and set up a commune on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Eventually, a cult began to form as Manson preached his eccentric religious teachings to his followers, who called themselves a "family," per History.

The cult is notorious for their involvement in the 1969 murder of Roman Polanski's wife, 26-year-old actress Sharon Tate - who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time. She had been stabbed by members of the Manson family up to 16 times, and a rope tied around her neck connected her to the body of celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, according to the Helter Skelter novel by Vincent Bugliosi. The word "PIG" was written on the front door of the house in Tate's blood.

Tate and Polanski photographed at their 1968 wedding. Credit: Keystone Press / Alamy

Polanski, now 89, has previously spoken about the tragic murder of his wife and friends, telling Swiss TV in 2011 that he fled Los Angeles for Switzerland soon after Tate's death as a result of the intense media coverage. "Before Manson was found, I was even suspected of being involved. This got the media tremendously excited because I had just finished the film Rosemary's Baby, which is about black magic, so they immediately mixed everything up.

"The media love that kind of story, and it snowballed," he added.

A fictional account of Tate's story hit cinema screens in Quentin Tarantino's last flick, 2019's Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Margot Robbie starred as the slain actress in the movie, which also includes loose references to the Manson family and its various members.

Featured image credit: PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy

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us3 min(s) read

Published 09:36 12 Jul 2023 GMT

Manson Family murderer Leslie Van Houten released from prison after 53 years

James Kay

Leslie Van Houten, a member of the Manson Family cult who aided in the murder of two people, has been released from prison after 53 years.

The Manson Family was a cult that operated in the 1960s, with many believing that the murders they committed ended the so-called summer of love in '69.

Van Houten, who was 19 at the time, played a part in the 1969 murders of Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary. Their blood was smeared on the walls as the cult attempted to incite a race war, notably writing the term "Healter [sic] Skelter", an apocalyptic vision of the world that the cult subscribed to.

During the murders, the victims' heads were covered in pillowcases, and Manson ordered that they be killed, so cult member Tex Watson stabbed them multiple times with a bayonet.

Leslie Van Houten arriving at her retrial. Credit: Bettmann / Getty

When the murderers went to court, Van Houten claimed that she didn't kill the married couple, but stabbed Rosemary LaBianca around 16 times after she was already deceased.

The Manson Family cult member explained that she held Rosemary down as she was being murdered, and helped carve up the bodies to write the messages on the walls.

These murders happened the day after the infamous killing of actress Sharon Tate and four others, though Van Houten didn't play a part in those killings.

Van Houten, now 73, was put behind bars in 1971 for her part in the murders, and although she was initially sentenced to death, this was later commuted to life imprisonment after California abolished the death penalty.

Over the years, the convicted murderer has expressed her regret for her part in what took place, stating that she was high on LSD and believed Manson to be "Jesus".

Per BBC News, 73-year-old was released on Tuesday, with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations stating that she was "released to parole supervision" and is expected to spend the next year in transitional housing.

Here she will learn how to adapt to the modern world and will be taught skills such as how to use the internet, making purchases without cash, and how to fit into modern society.

Van Houten will be on parole for the next three years, and her lawyer Nancy Tetreault has stated that her client wants to get a job as soon as possible. "It's a very different world than when she went in," she added.

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has said that he will not oppose the state's decision to release Van Houten and that it is unlikely that the Supreme Court would listen to an appeal.

Charles Manson's cult had the intent to start a race war with their murders. Credit: Bettmann / Getty

The 73-year-old has been eligible for parole since 2016 but Newsom has blocked previous appeals as he still believes that she poses a risk to society.

In a statement, Newsom's office said: "More than 50 years after the Manson cult committed these brutal killings, the victims' families still feel the impact."

Featured image credit: Bettmann / Getty

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us3 min(s) read

Published 21:46 30 Oct 2018 GMT

Notorious Boston gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger killed in prison at age 89

Tom Wood

James 'Whitey' Bulger, the notorious Boston gangster who was serving two life sentences for murdering 11 people, was killed Tuesday morning at a West Virginia prison. The death occurred just one day after his transfer. Officials at the US Penitentiary Hazelton say him unresponsive at 8:20am, and pronounced him dead after life-saving measures failed. The statement from The Federal Bureau of Prisons did not reveal a cause of death, and the FBI is conducting an investigation. Bulger was 89.

The legendary mob boss was captured in 2011, after eluding federal authorities for 16 years. After Bulger went on the run, investigators learned that he had been an FBI informant. They also discovered that he got tipped off about the pending arrest from John Connolly, the FBI agent who became his handler. Bolger was finally caught at a private residence in Santa Monica, California, where he and his companion, Catherine Craig, who skipped town with him, were arrested without incident.

In November 2013, the treacherous White Hill gang leader faced a reckoning for his crimes. A federal jury found him culpable for 11 murders from 1973 to 1985, and convicted him on 31 counts, including racketeering, extortion, drug dealing, weapons possession and money laundering. "The scope of the callousness and depravity of your crimes is unfathomable," said .U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper, who sentenced him to two life terms plus five years for his role as architect of a criminal enterprise

Before the sentencing, the victims' relatives gave emotional testimony, calling Bulger a bastard, coward, rat, and Satan. The once-fearsome, intimidating mobster did not speak, nor make eye contact with them. He reportedly kept his head down, scribbling on his notepad. At the hearing, Judge Casper said, "The testimony of human suffering that you and your associates inflicted on others was at times agonizing to hear and painful to watch. At times, I wish we were watching a movie, that what we were hearing was not real. But as the families of victims know all too well, it's not a movie."

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Bulger's life did become a Hollywood film, more than once. In 2015, Johnny Depp played him in the movie Black Mass, which told the story of "the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf." In 2006, Jack Nicholson played a character based on Bulger in Martin Scorcese's The Departed. (And Matt Damon played Colin Sullivan, who based on corrupt FBI agent John Connolly.)

Bulger is survived by his two younger brothers and his wife Catherine Greig, who is serving eight years at a federal prison in Minnesota, with a release date of September 29, 2020. One of his brothers, William Bulger, was a state senator, but was forced to resign in 2003, after admitting he spoke to his fugitive brother while on the run.

"Hopefully the seven years he spent in prison as well as his recent death brings some closure to the families of his many victims," said Brian Kelly, one of the federal prosecutors who tried Bulger, in a statement to CNN.