I agree, he should have been executed. It disturbs me that he gets more mail than any prisoner in U.S. history. He still writes/records music and it is still publicized and recorded by other “artists”. There are T-shirts and websites celebrating him. The last number I read was that there are more than 70 cults in Europe who refer to themselves as “Mansonites”. Perhaps if he and the rest had been executed, he would not be such a cult hero today.
I have been reading a lot about the case recently. The public was lied to about the case from the very beginning. Charles Manson knew all of his victims.
Some say that the intended victim of that night was Terry Melcher, Doris Day’s son, whio had been living at that house with Candice Bergen:
“In 1968, Beach Boy Dennis Wilson introduced Melcher to ex-con and aspiring musician Charles Manson. Manson and his “family” had been living in Wilson’s house on Sunset Boulevard after Dennis had picked up two girls from the “family” hitchhiking. Wilson expressed interest in Manson’s music and even recorded two of Manson’s songs with The Beach Boys. For a time, Melcher was interested in recording Manson’s music, as well as making a movie about the “family” & their “hippie commune” existence. During that time, Manson met Melcher at 10050 Cielo Drive, the home Melcher shared with his girlfriend, Candice Bergen, on different occasions. Manson eventually auditioned for Melcher, but Melcher declined to sign him. There was still talk of a documentary being made about Manson’s music, but Melcher abandoned the project after witnessing his subject becoming embroiled in a terrifying fight with a drunken stuntman at Spahn Ranch.[1] Both Wilson and Melcher severed their ties with Manson, a move that angered Manson.[3]
“Not long after severing ties with Manson, Melcher and Bergen moved out of the Cielo Drive home. The house’s owner, Rudi Altobelli, leased it to film director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate. Manson visited the house looking for Melcher, but was turned away as Melcher had moved.[1] Some authors and law enforcement personnel have theorized that the reason that 10050 Cielo Drive was selected by Manson was to target Melcher as revenge for Melcher’s earlier rejection of his music for a recording contract, and that Manson did not believe it when told that Melcher and Bergen had moved out. However, Tex Watson states that Manson and the Family did know that Melcher was no longer living there.[4]
“After Manson was arrested, it was widely reported that he had sent his followers to the house to kill Melcher. Manson “family” member Susan Atkins, who admitted her part in the murders, stated to police and before a Grand Jury that the house was chosen as the scene for the murders, “to instill fear into Terry Melcher because Terry had given us his word on a few things and never came through with them”.[1] In this aim, the Manson Family was quite successful. Melcher took to employing a bodyguard and he told prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi that his fear was so great, he had been undergoing psychiatric treatment. Melcher was the most frightened of the witnesses at the trial, even though Bugliosi assured him that, “Manson knew you were no longer living there”.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Melcher
What are you reading? I am interested.
What are you reading? I am interested.