Category Archives: Archived News

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 […]

Grogan Says ‘Pooh Bear’ Headed Cult

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 — Steve Grogan, accused of the murder of movie stuntman Donald (Shorty) Shea, testified yesterday that Charles Manson was not the leader of the so-called “family,” but conceded that “I loved the man.” Under cross-examination by […]

Woman Hugs Watson at Trial, Gets Jail Sentence

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 — A 29-year-old Riverside woman was sentenced to a day in jail for contempt of court yesterday after she ran into a courtroom and clasped convicted murderer Charles (Tex) Watson around the neck. The incident occurred […]

Grogan Under Oath Denies Murdering Movie Stuntman

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14 — Steven Grogan, a member of Charles Manson’s cult, has denied under oath that he murdered movie stuntman Donald (Shorty) Shea. Grogan 20 took the stand on his own behalf Friday before the jury of eight […]

Find ‘Tex’ Watson Guilty; Sanity Phase Scheduled

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14 — Trial Judge Adolph Alexander ordered the jury which found Manson cultist Charles “Tex” Watson guilty of seven counts of first degree murder Tuesday, to return to court tomorrow at 9 a.m. for the start of […]

Manson Rants from Cell as Prosecutor Sums Up

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14 — The prosecution began its summation Tuesday in the second murder trial of Charles Manson as the condemned cult leader continued to rant from a detention cell adjacent to the courtroom. At the start of Dep. […]

At the End of the Road, Death

Copeville, Tex., Oct. 13 — It’s about 1,500 miles from this Red River country town to the neon-glutted boulevards of Hollywood. But, for Charles “Tex” Watson, the road has been considerably longer and a good deal more drama – packed […]

Watson is Guilty of 7 Cult Killings

Charles ‘Tex’ Watson is led back to his cell from a courtroom in Los Angeles after he was convicted Tuesday of seven counts ot first-degree murder and one of conspiracy to commit murder in the Tate-LaBianca slayings. Watson, a former […]