LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10 – The eldest of five Manson family members who allegedly participated in a nighttime raid on a Hawthorne gun shop has been permitted to act as his own attorney in their trial.

Superior Court Judge Arthur L. Alarcon granted permission to Dennis Rice, 32, while denying similar rights to Mary Brunner, 27, and Catherine “Gypsy” Share, 26.

The trio, along with Larry Jones, 22, and Kenneth Como, 31, are alleged to have raided the gun store last Aug. 21 and held off police with a withering return fire in a short gun battle.

The state will attempt to show that the cult members intended to use the weapons to try to free family leader Charles Manson from jail at the Hall of Justice.

Oct. 14 was set for the first hearing in a series of pretrial motions. All but Rice are also charged with the Aug. 12 robbery of a Covina beer distributing firm.