Manson Only Witness?
Tuesday, May 19th, 1970
LOS ANGELES, May 19 – Charles Manson is expected to be the sole defense witness among those accused in the Sharon Tate murders, sources close to the bizarre case said today.
The ego of the 35-year-old leader of a hippie band of young women and men is such, these sources predicted, that he will take the stand not only to deny he led a conspiracy to murder but also to expound his anti-Establishment philosophy to the world.
Manson and three young women — Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten are scheduled to go to trial June 15. The women are not expected to testify, although it was Miss Atkins’ statement to a grand jury that brought their indictment.
A fourth young member of the “Manson Family,” Linda Kasabian, is reported prepared to appear for the state, regarding the killing of Miss Tate and four others at the actress’ canyon estate Aug. 9 and the slayings of grocer Leo LaBianca and his wife the next evenings.
Miss Kasabian, who probably will be granted immunity by the prosecution after she testifies, is under heavy security guard at the Los Angeles Women’s Jail, secluded from other prisoners.
Although she was pictured in Miss Atkins’ grand jury account of the slayings as never having entered either home, she was for a month a member of the “Family” and will be the key state witness in trying to establish Manson was the mastermind of a conspiracy to kill out of hatred for the “square” world.
One of Manson’s many jail visitors recently asked the bearded, five-foot-two ex-convict whether he considered Miss Kasabian’s testimony the most damaging weapon the prosecution has.
“Why, I never really knew Linda,” Manson mused. “Certainly not well enough to tell her to go out and kill seven or eight people.”
Miss Atkins told the grand jury Miss Kasabian acted as a lookout during the killings at both homes and then accompanied the band in their “creepie crawlies” (black clothing) back to the Spahn Ranch, the one-time Western movie set they used as a commune.
Manson is not accused of actually committing any of the murders. He was not even present at the Tate residence and, according to Miss Atkins, he tied up the LaBiancas but left the house and waited outside in a car while the two were killed.
The whole case against Manson, therefore, hinges on proving a conspiracy.
The prosecutors who will handle the case are Deputy District Attorneys Aaron Stovitz and Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi says the state will proceed on the court-tested theory of “vicarious conspiracy.”
“That theory holds that once a conspiracy is entered into,” Bugliosi says. “Each member of the conspiracy is criminally responsible for all the crimes committed by his coconspirators if said crimes were in furtherance of the object of the conspiracy.
“He can be watching television or out bowling when the crime is committed, but he is still equally guilty. I don’t think Adolf Hitler murdered anyone in particular himself.”
Bugliosi says he anticipates the trial may last three months or more. The prosecution intends to call about 85 witnesses, including a number of members of the “family” who will describe the “lifestyle” at the ranch.
Picking a jury is expected to require almost a month. The defense and prosecution have a total of 80 peremptory challenges — they can dismiss a prospective juror without cause. It is expected they may run through a panel of 200 citizens before they select 12 regular and four alternate jurors.
There is a possibility the trial may be delayed. That depends on the extradition from McKinney, Tex., of Charles Watson, who is said by Miss Atkins to have actually committed all but one of the murders.
Watson’s lawyer plans to fight extradition to the U.S. Supreme Court, but there is a possibility he will be brought to Los Angeles while appeals are being heard. If that should happen, the trial probably would not open until early in July.
Superior court judge Charles H. Older may have difficulty preventing Manson from disrupting the proceedings with outbursts that have marked preliminary hearings.
If Manson does take the stand, the prosecutor is expected to have a weird experience in cross examination.
“I can just imagine what will happen,” said one veteran lawyer. The prosecutor will ask him, ‘where were you on the night of Aug. 9?’ and Manson will reply, ‘What is night?’”
By JACK FOX
Comments