Author Archives: cielodrive.com

Judge Sentences Manson Follower to Life in Shea Killing

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24 — Los Angeles Superior Judge James J. Kolts ruled Thursday that Charles Manson follower Steven Grogan should face life in prison instead of the gas chamber for beheading Donald (Shorty) Shea with a machete. In explaining […]

Jurists Uphold Conviction of L.A. Newsman

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18 — A three-justice panel of the state Court of Appeal Friday upheld a contempt of court conviction of newspaper reporter William Farr for refusing to tell a judge the source of a story he wrote about […]

Manson Installed as San Quentin’s 97th Death Row Inmate

SAN QUENTIN, Dec. 15 — Charles Manson was installed as the 97th occupant of San Quentin’s Death Row Tuesday. “He was very calm,” said Associate Warden Joseph R. O’Brien after Manson was whisked here from Los Angeles in a bus […]

Manson Gets Life Sentence in Shea Killing

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14 — Cult leader Charles Manson — described by the judge as a “whining, complaining delinquent and small-time car thief with an aversion to work” — was sentenced Monday to life in prison for the 1969 slayings […]

Jury Acquits Newsman in Contempt Case

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 7 — Newspaper reporter William T. Farr Monday was found innocent of a contempt of court citation leveled against him because of an article he wrote concerning the Charles Manson case. The citation was issued by Superior […]

Manson Given Life Term In Hinman-Shea Murders

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 30 — A penalty verdict of life imprisonment was returned against Charles Manson yesterday for the Gary Hinman-Donald (Shorty) Shea murders in 1969. A Superior Court jury of eight men and four women had deliberated five hours […]

Manson Court Proceedings End With Whimper

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19 — Only two seats in the spectator section of the courtroom were occupied Thursday. They were elderly men with frayed shirt cuffs, the kind who shuffle from one court to another day after day to hear […]

Watson Given Death Penalty by Judge Who Strongly Opposes It

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12 — A judge who abhors the death penalty nevertheless pronounced it Thursday against Charles (Tex) Watson, 25, chief executioner in seven murders committed under the spell of cult leader Charles Manson. Superior Judge Adolph Alexander rejected […]

Grogan Death Decreed by Jury in Stuntman Slaying

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 — Manson cultist Steve Grogan was sentenced to death in the gas chamber yesterday for the murder of stuntman Donald “Shorty” Shea. The Superior Court jury of eight men and four women deliberated a total of […]

Manson ‘Girl’ Held in Contempt, Jailed

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 5 — One of Charles Manson’s “girls” was held in contempt of court today and ordered to jail for five days for her conduct at the penalty phase of the cult leader’s trial for the slayings of […]

Charles Manson Convicted of Shea, Hinman Slayings

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4 — Charles Manson has been convicted of first degree murder in the slayings of movie stuntman Donald “Shorty” Shea and musician Gary Hinman and the penalty phase of the trial will begin today at 9:30 a.m. […]

Manson Convicted of Murder in Shea and Hinman Cases

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 – Cult leader Charles Manson, already under sentence of death for the seven Tate-LaBianca slayings, was convicted Tuesday of two more murders and had to be hustled from the courtroom after the verdicts were read. A […]

Steve Grogan Is Convicted Of Murder

Manson Family member Steve Grogan, on trial for the Shorty Shea murder case, is being led back to his cell in the Hall of Justice by a sherrif’s deputy following conviction yesterday LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31 — Manson family member […]

Manson Jury In Isolation

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 — The jury deliberating in second murder trial of Charles Manson was sequestered for the weekend Friday after failing to reach a verdict. Manson, 36, is charged in the slayings of Donald “Shorty” Shea, a ranch […]

Manson Jury Deliberating In 6th Day

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 — The jury in the second murder trial of condemned killer Charles Manson failed to reach a verdict yesterday after five days of deliberation. The panel of eight men and four women was sequestered in a […]

Chained Escapist Arraigned

Kenneth Como, after arraignment on escape charge LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 — Chained hand and foot, Kenneth “Curly” Como, a member of Charles Manson’s hippie-style “family,” was arraigned Friday on felony escape charges stemming from his daring jailbreak last Wednesday. […]

Watson Sentenced to Die in Tate-LaBianca Deaths

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 — Charles “Tex” Watson was given the death sentence yesterday for the Tate-LaBianca murders, making the gas chamber unanimous for the Charles Manson “family” members tried for the seven bloody slayings. Watson, 25, was refused a […]

Follower of Manson Recaptured; 6 Seized

Undersheriff William McCloud shows bars Como cut LOS ANGELES, Oct. 21 — A follower of Charles Manson escaped from a maximum security cell yesterday by squeezing through a 6 1/2 – inch opening and dangling on a rope of blankets […]

Manson Book Mixes Fact And Fancy

Oct. 21 — “The Family – The Story of Charles Manson’s Dune Buggy Attack Battalion” (E. P. Dutton & Co., $6.95) by former Free Press writer Ed Sanders should have been entitled “Rumors I Have Heard or Thought About Re. […]

Manson Member Caught After Escaping

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 — A Manson family member accused of attempted murder escaped from a 13th floor jail cell today, sawing through bars and sliding down a rope of torn mattress covers, but was recaptured in a house-to-house search […]