• Texas Refuses to Release Watson To L.A. Detectives

Texas Refuses to Release Watson To L.A. Detectives

McKINNEY, Tex., Sept. 3 – District Judge David I. Brown refused Wednesday to grant a motion to hand Charlie “Tex” Watson over to two waiting Los Angeles detectives for trial in California for the Sharon Tate murders.

Brown refused to let the detectives take Watson back with them although the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused Monday to stay Watson’s extradition.

“The judgment of the (5th) Circuit Court is appealable on its face and the matter is not complete until they issue a mandate,” Judge Brown said.

Brown’s ruling meant that Watson will remain in the McKinney jail, where he has been since Nov. 30, until the 5th Circuit Court issues an order for him to be taken to California.

Such an order would give the Los Angeles detectives custody of Watson. But the order would not prevent Bill Boyd, Watson’s lawyer, from appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to keep Watson from being tried in California.

Boyd contends Watson cannot get a fair trial in California state courts because of publicity surrounding the Sharon Tate LaBianca murders.

Linda Kasabian, who turned state’s evidence in the trial of the Charles Manson “family” in Los Angeles, testified that the 24-year-old Watson committed six of the seven murders at Miss Tate’s home and tho home of Leno LaBianca, a grocery owner.

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