• Manson Screams Himself Out Of Court

Manson Screams Himself Out Of Court

LOS ANGELES, Apr. 22 — Rebuffed in a request to represent himself, Charles Manson screamed for 5 or 10 seconds yesterday to show Superior Judge Raymond Choate he has a voice.

Manson’s loud “Ahhhhhhhh” startled the courtroom like an unexpected siren.

“I’ve got a voice, sir,” the 36-year-old condemned murderer said to Choate. “I have a voice. I can speak. I really can.”

The judge, who had patiently listened to Manson’s arguments to represent himself in the Gary Hinman – Jerome (Shorty) Shea murder case, cautioned the defendant he would be removed if he didn’t be quiet.

“Would you please?” Manson replied. “It’s hard for me to sit here.”

Choate ordered his removal.

Susan Atkins, 21, sentenced to death with Manson for the Tate – LaBianca murders, followed the lead a few minutes later, complaining that she was “very, very tired.”

“I’ve been tried and sentenced and I just don’t want to sit in this courtroom again,” she said.

Choate asked whether she intended to continue to disrupt the proceedings, and when she said she did, he ordered her removal.

The court was disrupted again shortly before the hearing ended.

Mary Brunner, her head shaved, an “X” scratched on her forehead, stood in the audience and began to speak loudly.

“All my testimony before the grand jury was based on a lie,” the Manson “family” member said. “I made that up to get my kid back. That whole procedure is a lie.”

Miss Brunner, the mother of a son by Manson, received immunity from prosecution for her testimony against Robert Beausoleil in his trial on charges of killing musician Gary Hinman in July, 1969.

Her testimony connected Manson with Hinman’s murder. Beausoleil was convicted and sentenced to death and Manson and “Sadie” Atkins were subsequently indicted for the killing.

Yesterday’s hearing before Choate was to consider defense arguments on motions to dismiss charges against Manson, Miss Atkins, Bruce Davis, 27, and Steve Grogan, 19.

Choate’s rulings were delayed by the legal necessity of taking Manson to San Quentin for “death row” processing, as required within 10 days of a death sentence.

He is expected to be taken to the prison sometime today, but he will returned Monday to appear before Choate again.

The same is true of Susan Atkins. She, Patricia Krenwinkel, 23, and Leslie Van Houten, 21, will be taken to the California Institution for Women at Frontera.

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