• Manson Trial Compared to ‘West Coast Woodstock’

Manson Trial Compared to ‘West Coast Woodstock’

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25 – Attending the murder trial of Charles Manson and three female followers is akin to visiting a West Coast version of Woodstock ‘70.

The 35-year-old bearded cult chief, who sometimes appears barefooted for court, has managed to draw throngs of oddly dressed young people who apparently want to see if Manson is “for real.”

The extensive pretrial publicity about Manson, accused mastermind of the seven Tate-LaBianca murders, included extensive coverage of his nomadic band which calls itself “the family.”

About a dozen hard-core members of “the family” still live at the old Spahn Movie Ranch near Chatsworth, which was stronghold of the cult a year ago when the murders occurred.

Although “family” members have several times tried to get into the courtroom to see their leader, they have not been allowed because the prosecution has subpoenaed them as witnesses. All subpoenaed witnesses are excluded from the trial.

What with “‘the family” lounging in the hall outside the courtroom and the hippie-type spectators inside the courtroom, one is never sure whether the eighth floor of the Hall of Justice has been turned into a giant love-in.

Some of the young spectators who appear for the trial have both perturbed and puzzled the sheriff’s deputies, who assign seats in the courtroom.

Seating for the general public is limited because the large number of reporters from throughout
the world covering the trial all have assigned places.

Deputies recently were going to turn away an attractive lass with long dark blonde hair because her midriff was bare.

The young woman had on a pair of bell-bottom pants and a skimpy top which left a good five or six inches of skin exposed.

“You can’t go in there like that,” deputies told her, so she borrowed the suit coat of a male onlooker and draped it around her. The deputies relented and let her in, but warned her she would be ejected if she took off the coat.

Another time, a longhaired young woman brought her infant to the courtroom.

The young woman wore a skirt and an old-fashioned men’s undershirt. She obviously wore nothing underneath.

Some of the deputies scratched their heads, but allowed the young woman in, but after searching both her and the baby. Most of the young men who visit the court have near-shoulder length hair, wear tattered and faded jeans and are sporting beards of various lengths.

Nearly all the young people wear sandals.

They all strain to get a glimpse of Manson and codefendants Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten.

Miss Atkins especially notices the visitors and when a handsome male enters the courtroom, she usually turns and audibly whispers, “wow.”

There are the “straight” visitors too.

Many are older persons who admittedly are curious to see what Manson and his “girls” look like.

Some older women have said they want to see the defendants so they can warn their children or grandchildren against turning to the hippie way of life.

Others admit they are merely curious, as did one midwestern woman who sandwiches a trip to the trial between vacation visits to Southern California highlights such as Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.

The Manson trial draws its share of celebrities.

Actors Robert Conrad, Scott Brady and Peter Falk have visited the trial, as has Sal Mineo.

Many of the spectators appeared bored with the court proceedings, which admittedly are duller than movie and television portrayals of trials.

Others, however, are fascinated and return day after day.

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