Charles Manson, born in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio, grew up in a troubled home with a teenage mother and an absent father. He spent his childhood moving between dilapidated motel rooms and reform schools, eventually becoming a serial offender. In his 30s, Manson founded a cult-like family in San Francisco, comprised of young, middle-class individuals who were drawn to his charismatic personality and prison past.
On August 9, 1969, four members of the Manson family brutally murdered actress Sharon Tate and four others at her home in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. The next night, the same group killed a couple, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, in a similar manner. The police initially struggled to connect the two crimes, but eventually, they discovered that Charles Manson was the mastermind behind the murders.
Manson's motive for the killings was rooted in his apocalyptic vision, which he called "Helter Skelter." He believed that the murders would trigger a racial war between blacks and whites, ultimately leading to the annihilation of the white population. Manson and his followers would then rise from an underground city to become the new rulers of the world.
The prosecution, led by Vincent Bugliosi, relied on the testimony of Linda Kasabian, a repentant member of the Manson family, to build a case against Manson. In 1971, Manson was sentenced to death, but when California abolished the death penalty in 1972, his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Manson died in 2017, and his legacy continues to fascinate and disturb people to this day.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Charles Manson was born in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2. Manson's childhood was marked by continuous moves and living in dilapidated motel rooms.
3. Manson's father refused to recognize him.
4. Manson spent his adolescence and early youth in reform schools and was accused of various crimes, including vehicle theft, check forgery, and gas station robberies.
5. Manson founded his own "family" in San Francisco at the age of 32.
6. The Manson family was made up of young people, mostly under 20, from the middle class, and many of them were girls.
7. On August 9, 1969, four members of the Manson family murdered several people at 10050 Cielo Drive in Bel-Air, Los Angeles.
8. The victims included film director Roman Polanski's wife, Sharon Tate, who was pregnant at the time.
9. Other victims included Paul and Rosemary LaBianca, who were murdered at their home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
10. A fifth victim, Steven Parent, was also murdered at the Cielo Drive crime scene.
11. It took the Los Angeles police three months to recognize the possibility that the two crimes were related.
12. Charles Manson intended to make people believe that the perpetrators of the crimes were African Americans, which would unleash the wrath of the white population.
13. Manson believed that a war between blacks and whites would precipitate a catastrophic event he called "Helter Skelter."
14. Manson believed that he and his followers would survive the war by hiding in an underground city with walls of gold, rivers of milk and honey, and trees with prodigious fruits.
15. The prosecution of the Tate/La Bianca case was led by Vincent Bugliosi, who had the valuable testimony of Linda Kasabian, a repentant member of the Manson family.
16. Manson was sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison when California abolished the death penalty in 1972.
17. Manson died in prison on November 19, 2017, due to cardiorespiratory arrest.