• Marine Testifies At Manson Trial, Arrested by Military Police

Marine Testifies At Manson Trial, Arrested by Military Police

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16 – A young Marine brought into the Tate-LaBianca murder case by defense attorneys was arrested Friday on suspicion of being AWOL as he walked out of the courtroom.

Jon Hayan Marsh 23, of Santa Barbara, was taken into custody by a uniformed member of the shore patrol and one Marine Corps military policeman only seconds after he walked out of the door of the courtroom where Charles Manson and three female followers are on trial for murder.

Marsh, a lance corporal, was handcuffed by sheriff’s deputies and the young Marine, in uniform, was led away by the SP and MP.

His arrest apparently came as a surprise and the slender, blond young man appeared dumbfounded at what was going on. He said nothing.

Television cameras, lights on, recorded the event and radio reporters, as well as members of the press, gathered around as the arrest was being made.

Marsh had been brought into the court house by Irving A. Kanarek, Manson’s lawyer, in an apparent attempt to discredit testimony by star prosecution witness Linda Kasabian.

In a special hearing outside the presence of the trial jury, Marsh gave the court a deposition which the defense hopes to introduce into testimony at a later date.

The young Marine explained he had been in the United States on emergency leave and was due to go to Okinawa at midnight.

Kanarek said the deposition was necessary because Marsh would not be in this country when the defense presented its case.

Marsh’s orders, meanwhile, reportedly said the young man was supposed to leave for Okinawa from San Francisco Thursday night, making him one day AWOL.

Marsh, meanwhile, testified he had seen the 22-year-old Mrs. Kasabian take the hallucinogenic drug Psilocybin at West Topanga Beach in Mid-July a year ago.

He also said he saw Mrs. Kasabian at a Topanga shopping center about a week later and she was “overly happy.”

He testified that the second time he saw the young woman, whom he said had long blonde hair at the time, she was dancing.

“I’m sure you know what a jumping jack is…That’s what it looked like to me,” said Marsh.

Kanarek introduced the testimony because Mrs. Kasabian, during her three weeks on the witness stand, said she only took drugs once in July and that was at the Spahn movie ranch near Chatsworth stronghold of Manson’s nomadic “family.”

Mrs. Kasabian said she joined the cult July 4, 1969, and remained at the ranch until actress Sharon Tate and six others were murdered on the following Aug. 9 and 10.

Mrs. Kasabian, when she resumed the witness stand, admitted going to West Topanga Beach in mid-July, but said she did not take any drugs when she was there.

She claimed she was “high” (under the influence of a drug) because of something she had taken at the ranch earlier in the day.

She said the drug she had taken could have beets psilocybin, LSD or mescaline.

And although Marsh identified her, she said she did not know the young Marine.

Marsh also identified Miss Atkins as “Sadie.” The dark-haired young woman stood and gave him a snappy salute.

The young Marine said he had gone to the beach with a friend, whom he knew only as “Piccolo.”

“Piccolo,” he said, gave the psilocybin to Mrs. Kasabian.

He admitted he had been AWOL from the Marine Corps from March 1969 until the following October and it was during this time that he saw the young woman.

Marsh also said co-defendant Susan Atkins 22, whom he knew only as “Sadie,” was with Mrs. Kasabian both times he saw her last summer.

Chief prosecutor Aaron Stovitz later told newsmen he would probably attempt to keep Marsh’s testimony from being admitted into testimony.

In the first place, Stovitz said, Kanarek could not prove the substance which Mrs. Kasabian took, if she took anything, was psilocybin.

The prosecutor said the Marine had only appeared and talked to Kanarek Friday morning and charged Marsh might have been trying to get publicity for himself.

Mrs. Kasabian has been granted immunity in exchange for turning state’s evidence.

She was a defendant in the case, but charges against her were dismissed and she was officially freed Thursday.

Mrs. Kasabian will remain in protective custody until she finishes testifying. However, after that, it was believed she will return to her home in Milford, N.H., where her mother Mrs. Joyce Byrd is caring for Mrs. Kasabian’s son and daughter.

The petite Monde has said she was an eyewitness to two of the seven murders.

Mrs. Kasabian’s testimony Friday included both redirect and recross-examination.

Kanarek is questioning her and will resume when court reconvenes tomorrow morning.

Earlier Friday, Mrs. Kasabian testified that Manson took either a gun or a sword into the home of the LaBiancas before the man and his wife were slain.

She made the disclosure during redirect examination by Dep. Dist. Atty. Stovitz.

She has said earlier that Manson went into the home of Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary in the early morning hours of Aug. 10, 1969. She also has said Manson returned to a car containing her and other members of his cult and told three of his followers to kill the LaBiancas.

Mrs. Kasabian said she saw Manson put something in his waistband before he went into the Los Feliz area home.

“It was a gun or a sword, I don’t know which,” she testified, explaining that Manson had taken a “pirate’s sword” with him when they left the Spahn Ranch near Chatsworth.

The prosecution has also accused Manson of masterminding the murders about 24 hours before of actress Sharon Tate and four visitors at her Benedict Canyon estate.

Mrs. Kasabian has testified Manson did not go to the Tate home the night of those killings, although she placed him at the LaBianca residence.

The murders that Mrs. Kasabian claims she saw were outside the Tate home. She claimed she did not go into the actress’ house, however.

During questioning by Stovitz, Mrs. Kasabian also said since she has been on the witness stand, Manson has both spoken and made hand signals to her.

Once, she said, Manson asked if a witness giving testimony outside the presence of the trial jury was her “father.”

“I pointed up,” she testified, “and said, ‘God is my father.'”

“Charlie pointed up and pointed to himself and said… ‘I’m your father,'” Mrs. Kasabian added.

Stovitz’ questioning was slowed considerably by a flurry of objections interposed by Kanarek. The majority of Kanarek’s objections were overruled by trial Judge Charles H. Older.

By SANDI METTETAL

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