LOS ANGELES, Mar. 16 – Blonde, 21-year-old Catherine Gillies, one of “Charlie’s girls,” testified Monday that she would have been willing to participate in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

The young woman, called by the defense in the penalty phase of the Tate-LaBianca trial, said she didn’t go along with other Manson “family” members because “they didn’t need me.”

But, she assured Charles Manson’s attorney, Irving A. Kanarek, “To get a brother out of jail, I would kill.

“I would have killed that night if I had gone along.”

As she testified, she constantly combed her shoulder-length hair with the fingers of her left hand. Her forehead still bore the faint scar of the Manson family — “X”.

Prompted by Kanarek’s, questions, Miss Gillies recalled that on one evening at Spahn Ranch, defendant Patricia (Katie) Krenwinkel came to her and asked for some leather thongs.

The witness said she went outside to a car loaded with family members and asked to go along but was told she wasn’t needed.

Kanarek asked whether she was talking about the first or second night — the five Tate killings on Dec. 9, 1969, or the LaBianca murders early on Dec. 10.

“It didn’t really matter,” she said. “It’s all one thing…because I don’t see any distinction or division.”

When Miss Krenwinkel, 23, told her about the murders early one morning in Devil’s Canyon near Spahn Ranch, Miss Gillies said she didn’t ask any questions.

“It was evident to me why they took place,” she said. She indicated the reason for the killings — previously discussed by women at the ranch — was to free Robert Beausoleil, a family member who had been arrested on a charge of murdering musician Gary Hinman in late July, 1969.

“If there was another murder identical to that, it would be obvious that the killer was not in jail,” she said.

However, she testified that on that evening when other family members left the ranch she imagined that they probably were going out to steal something.

The witness occasionally smiled at Miss Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins, 22, and Leslie Van Houten, 21, sitting at the counsel table. The three defendants were removed from court Friday for disturbing the trial but were returned Monday after promising to behave.

The 36-year-old Manson, who also was ejected Friday, refused to make the same promise and was kept in a holding room next to the court, where he listened to proceedings over a loud speaker.

Miss Gillies’ testimony suggested an alibi for Manson on the night of the LaBianca murders. She said that he was in Devil’s Canyon with a girl named Stephanie Schram the morning “Katie” arrived and told her about the two nights of murder.

Kanarek asked the witness whether Manson is her leader.

“He’s his own leader,” she said. “I’m my own leader.’

In the three years she has known Manson, Miss Gillies said she never heard him order anyone to do anything.

Prosecutor Vincent T. Bugliosi asked on cross-examination if it were true that Miss Gillies would kill for the four defendants but would not lie for them.

“No, I would not,” she said. “There’s no need for me to lie.”

She volunteered at least twice during her testimony that Manson was innocent and the comments were ordered stricken.

Bugliosi asked if it were true that she had visited Manson “over 100 times” in County Jail within the last year.

“I might have,” she said.

The young woman is one of the family members who have lived for months in a truck at Temple and Broadway during the trial.

The trial was nine months old Monday.

By JOHN KENDALL