Judge Sets Hearing Monday To Rule On Manson Attorney
Thursday, May 28th, 1970
LOS ANGELES, May 28 – With the Sharon Tate murder trial 2 ½ weeks away the question of who will defend Charles Manson remained undecided yesterday.
Superior Court Judge Charles H. Older denied another of the hippie cult leader’s requests yesterday to represent himself, despite Manson’s plea that “no one understands the generation gap or the free love society. We’re a different breed of human beings coming up to look at you, I didn’t break the law, and I can prove that to you if you let me act as my own lawyer.”
Older put off until Monday a hearing on Manson’s motion to substitute attorney I. A. Kanarek for Ronald Hughes, a young lawyer who never has tried a case.
Older said he would not permit Kanarek to enter the case until he has answered the judge’s questions about who is paying his fee and whether there is a conflict of interest.
Kanarek refused Older’s suggestion that he be sworn in to testify on those matters, contending that Older was violating Manson’s constitutional right to a lawyer of his choice.
Kanarek also argued that there was no need for the judge to approve the attorney substitution because he became the attorney of record as soon as he filed Manson’s signed request to hire him.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Aaron Stovitz objected to Kanarek’s entering the case because Kanarek has a long list of other trials scheduled June 15.
Manson and three young women are scheduled to stand trial for the killing of Miss Tate and four other persons at her estate Aug. 9 and the slaying of a wealthy grocer and his wife the next evening.
Older also denied a motion on behalf of Manson’s codefendants Susan Atkins, 21, to suppress the testimony she gave before the grand jury and the remarks she made in her former lawyer’s office, which later were incorporated into a paperback book.
Older said Miss Atkins could renew her request during trial if the prosecution attempted to introduce that evidence, but Stovitz assured the judge the state would not use the grand jury testimony.
It is believed that the prosecution will rely instead on testimony from another codefendant, Linda Kasabian, who will not be tried with the others.
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