LOS ANGELES, Mar. 20 – Charles Manson’s attorney said Friday that there is no reason to believe the 36-year-old defendant is more than a guy who weighs 140 pounds and likes girls.

Irving A. Kanarek argued in the penalty phase of the Tate-LaBianca murder trial that his client is society’s victim, not a Svengali.

“His (Manson’s) troubles probably revolve around that old, ancient feeling men have for women,” he said.

The Chunky, curly-haired lawyer rested his elbows on a lectern, leaned forward and repeated words and phrases again and again as he slowly pieced together his argument to save Manson’s life.

He semantically placed himself in the jury box, referring to “we of the jury” and “those of us who are on the jury…”

Kanarek urged jurors to consider Manson’s “possible innocence” when they exercise their absolute discretion in deciding on life or death for the four defendants.

“Death is irreversible,” he said. “The prosecution is asking us to commit murder.”

The attorney charged that the prosecution had suborned perjury in the case and had “deliberately and maliciously” withheld conflicting evidence to convict Manson “at any price.”

“Mr. Manson was the focal point of somebody’s vendetta,” he said.

Kanarek put the decision of life or death as a question of equality or fairness under the law.

It would be “grossly unfair,” Kanarek argued, to let the state’s key witness, Linda Kasabian, go free and to put Manson to death.

Mrs. Kasabian was granted immunity for her testimony about the seven murders.

Sometimes, Kanarek said, murderers are given life where there is no doubt they have killed. In this case, he said there is no evidence to show that Manson struck a blow that helped kill the victims.

He reminded jurors that Manson has spent 23 years in prison, has only a fifth-grade education, no parents and considers the penitentiary his home.

Kanarek read back into the record long passages of the courtroom confessions of defendants Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel and argued that their answers showed they were telling the truth.

Both of the young women, along with co-defendant Susan Atkins, attempted to clear Manson. They testified that they shared common thoughts about “copycat killings” to free a “family” member held on murder charges.

Kanarek began final arguments on Manson’s behalf Thursday, took all day Friday and expects to resume Monday.

By JOHN KENDALL