Charles Manson Research Paper

“Charles Manson: The Psycho of the Sixties”

On August 9, 1969, pregnant actress Sharon Tate, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger, Voytek Frykowski, and Jay Sebring were murdered. The following night, August 10, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were also murdered. These murders were committed by Mary Brunner, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, Susan “Sadie” Atkins, Sandra Good, Charles “Tex” Watson, Patricia “Katie” Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten. These people were all part of the Charles Manson “family.” Who was Charles Manson? Charles’ mother, Kathleen Maddox, got pregnant and gave birth at age fifteen. She was not married, so Charles was born illegitimate. Kathleen was a prostitute, and she couldn’t care for Charles. When Charles was just five years old,

Leslie tried to hold down Mrs. LaBianca so Susan Atkins could kill her, but neither girl could do it. Leslie called Tex for help, and he dragged Mrs. LaBianca into a bedroom, and stabbed her. Leslie stood at the doorway and watched in awe. Tex spun Leslie around, handed her a knife, and said “do something,” so Leslie approached Mrs. LaBianca, and stabbed her in the lower back sixteen times. Mr. LaBianca was stabbed numerous times, and the word “war” was carved into his stomach. Also, the words “rise,” “death to pigs,” and the misspelled “Healter Skelter” were written in blood throughout the murder scene. This led police to believe that these murders were connected to the Tate murders.

Manson told his followers to make the murders as gruesome as possible, and to leave clues, such as words, behind to make it look as if the blacks had committed the murders. Most of the phrases written in the murders were likely influenced by the Beatles’ “White Album.” This album had a song in it called “Piggies,” which was likely the reason Manson called his victims

The inmates told the police about Susan’s confessions, and the police arrested Charles Manson, Mary Brunner, Lynette Fromme, Susan Atkins, Sandra Good, Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, Linda Kasabian, and Leslie Van Houten. Charles went on trial, and on January 25, 1971, and he, along with Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, and Susan Atkins were all charged guilty for murder. On April 17, 1971, Charles Manson along with the three women were sentenced to death. They all shaved their heads in protest, and carved X’s into their foreheads to symbolize their removal from society. All four lives were spared because the Supreme Court abolished the death penalty, so they were sentenced to life in prison. Susan Atkins later passed away in jail at age sixty-one because of brain cancer. The others are still alive, but will be spending their final days behind