[uscabjd]

I could be wrong, but as I recall, there was a death penalty in effect when the murders took place and he was sentenced to the death penalty at his trial. That death penalty law, however, was thrown out some years later and Manson got a straight life sentence. The current CA D/P law was passed well after all this, and cannot be applied to him for these old crimes.

[Puppage]

I could be wrong, but as I recall, there was a death penalty in effect when the murders took place and he was sentenced to the death penalty at his trial. That death penalty law, however, was thrown out some years later and Manson got a straight life sentence.

You are quite correct.