Case Summary
After his 2nd imprisonment Manson began a cult over which he led. During the summer of 1969, Manson told his followers that there would soon be a race war between America's black population and the larger white population. Manson referred to the upcoming war as "Helter Skelter." In 1971, Charles Manson was convicted of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people. The prosecution conceded that Manson never literally ordered the murders, but they contended that his ideology constituted an overt act of conspiracy. Manson encouraged his followers to commit murders in Los Angeles to begin “Helter Skelter”. The actual trial started on July 15th 1970. On the first day of testimony Charles appeared in court with an x carved into his forehead. The next day his “followers” aka cult members appeared in court with x’s carved into their heads to show their commitment to him.
During the trials his defendants repeatedly interrupted the trial and were eventually forced out of the court. During the trial the main witness was Linda Kasabian who was present during the tate murders on August 8-9 1969. She also was in the car with Manson when he ordered the killing of Labianca. The trial was so popular, that even President Nixon got involved stating that he believed Manson was guilty of the murders. On October 5th 1970 Manson attempted to kill Judge Older and then jumped over his lawyers table with a sharpened pencil. He was restrained before he got to the judge. On January 25th 1971 Charles Manson and his 2 followers, krenwinkel and atkins guilty of first degree murder in all seven of the Tate and LaBianca killings. The jury also found Van Houten another one of mansons followers guilty of first degree murder in the LaBianca killing.
After the court case, they had to retestify the perpetrators for the death penalty. In the trials they all shaved their beards and cut their own hair off to show that they were the “devil”. All 4 were sentenced to death 3 months after the trial. This trial was the longest murder trial in court history in that day. It lasted nine and a half months. This was around 225 days longer than the previous longest murder trial.
During the trials his defendants repeatedly interrupted the trial and were eventually forced out of the court. During the trial the main witness was Linda Kasabian who was present during the tate murders on August 8-9 1969. She also was in the car with Manson when he ordered the killing of Labianca. The trial was so popular, that even President Nixon got involved stating that he believed Manson was guilty of the murders. On October 5th 1970 Manson attempted to kill Judge Older and then jumped over his lawyers table with a sharpened pencil. He was restrained before he got to the judge. On January 25th 1971 Charles Manson and his 2 followers, krenwinkel and atkins guilty of first degree murder in all seven of the Tate and LaBianca killings. The jury also found Van Houten another one of mansons followers guilty of first degree murder in the LaBianca killing.
After the court case, they had to retestify the perpetrators for the death penalty. In the trials they all shaved their beards and cut their own hair off to show that they were the “devil”. All 4 were sentenced to death 3 months after the trial. This trial was the longest murder trial in court history in that day. It lasted nine and a half months. This was around 225 days longer than the previous longest murder trial.