• Manson Ousted From Court After Shouting At A Witness

Manson Ousted From Court After Shouting At A Witness

LOS ANGELES, May. 15 — Charles Manson, condemned to death for the Tate-LaBianca murders and soon to go on trial for two more slayings, was ousted from a courtroom Friday after yelling at a witness.

Mansnn and three co-defendants were in court in Los Angeles for pretrial proceedings concerning the slayings of bagpipe musician Gary Hinman and ranch hand Donald “Shorty” Shea.

On the witness stand was Juan Flynn, 27, who testified for the prosecution at the Tate-LaBianca trial. He said Manson once fired a gun at him and held a knife against his throat. Flynn added that he did not remember “times” too well.

“You being not too good at times got me the gas chamber, mister,” Manson yelled at him.

Superior Court Judge Raymond Choate ordered Manson removed from the courtroom until he promised to behave himself. Flynn was called as a witness for the prosecution, which was attempting to prove Manson and his followers were capable of retaliating against a witness.

The state has refused to identify a witness scheduled to testify at the Shea-Hinman trial, and the defense is attempting to force the prosecution to reveal the name. The district attorney’s office contends the witness will be in danger if the name is made public.

Earlier in the week, Barbara Hoyt, a witness at the Tate trial, testified that she was given an LSD spiked hamburger by a Manson “family” member in an effort to prevent her from testifying. She recovered and appeared as a witness for the state

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