Susan Atkins’ Murder Trial Postponed
Wednesday, February 4th, 1970
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4 – Wearing a purple minidress with a “V” neckline that plunged to her waist. Susan Denise Atkins Tuesday waived her right to a quick trial and will face seven counts of murder in the Tate-Labianca killings March 30.
Superior Court Judge William B. Keene postponed Miss Atkins’ trial set for Monday, until March 30 at the earliest after her attorney asked for more time to prepare his case.
Miss Atkins, 21, the member of the hippie cult who turned informer against Charles Manson and his clan, chatted and laughed as she stood beside her attorney, Richard Caballero, in the brief court appearance.
It was Miss Atkins whose testimony before a grand jury led to the indictment for seven murders of the 35-year-old Manson and five other members of his clan, including herself.
Deputy District Attorney Aaron Stovitz told newsmen he felt it would be even later than March 30 before the defendants are brought to trial. Manson’s trial has been tentatively set for Feb. 9 but, it was considered certain to be delayed.
Stovitz says he hoped to try all the defendants together but the principal cause of delay was that Charles Watson, 24, the other man accused in the slayings, had been successfully fighting extradition from McKinney, Tex.
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