• Manson Clan Dismissal Plea Denied

Manson Clan Dismissal Plea Denied

LOS ANGELES, May. 18 — A judge has denied a defense motion that murder indictments against Charles Manson and three others be dismissed because people with hippie-type life styles like Manson are excluded from county grand juries.

Manson, 36, and codefendents Susan Atkins, Bruce Davis, 27, and Steven Grogan, 19, go on trial May 27 in the murders of musician Gary Hinman and movie stuntman Donald Shea in 1969.

In denying the motion Monday, Superior Court Judge Raymond Choate said Los Angeles County grand juries “reflect a reasonable cross section of the population.”

Defense attorneys defined the life style of Manson and the other codefendents as nomadic, without regular employment and not being registered to vote

Choate ruled that a class with such a life style “is not identifiable.”

In earlier action, Choate rebuffed defense attorneys who sought to learn the name of a mystery witness in order to prepare their cases.

The judge ruled the prosecution doesn’t have to reveal the name until 72 hours before taking the stand.

Manson, Miss Atkins and two others have been convicted of the murder of Sharon Tate and six others, and are sentenced to death. The Hinman-Shea charges are in addition to the Tate case.

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