Hahn Assails Tactics at Slaying Trial
Friday, July 10th, 1970
LOS ANGELES, Jul. 10 – Supervisor Kenneth Hahn yesterday criticized the “Roman holiday circus” atmosphere which he said is surrounding the Charles Manson murder trial.
Hahn, in an impromptu news conference, claimed courtroom tactics by defense and prosecution attorneys and “maybe the judge” are prolonging the celebrated murder trial.
Manson and three female followers are on trial on murder and conspiracy charges stemming from the slayings of actress Sharon Tate and six others last August.
Hahn said he was not specifically criticizing anyone connected with the trial.
“I say a plague on all their houses,” he added.
The Supervisor, who in the past has been critical of the money spent on other well-known murder trials, estimated the Manson case would cost county taxpayers about $2,000,000.
Hahn, during a meeting with reporters at his Hall of administration office, said he also had asked the county counsel to institute Federal Court proceedings to recover some of the money spent on extraditing another Tate murder case defendant.
He was referring to 24-year-old Charles “Tex” Watson, still in his home state of Texas battling extradition to California.
Hahn said it would cost about $100,000 before Watson is returned and the Federal Court action would be both to recover some of the county funds spent so far and to bring “a prompt, swift” return of Watson.
Hahn had no alternative to suggest on how to speed up the case, but half-way jokingly suggested that if the jury is sequestered for the trial, the prosecution, the defense and trial Judge Charles H. Older, also be confined to a hotel.
“We want justice to be served,” Hahn said, “but we want economy in justice too.”
He said if the attorneys and the judge were forced to remain away from their families for several months the trial wouldn’t last as long as has been estimated. Estimates on the trial run anywhere from six months to a year.
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