The Mind of Charles Manson Charles Manson, one of America’s most infamous sociopaths, is known for the murders of nine people and suspected for the deaths of many others. He had the mindset that he was the Messiah back on Earth to lead his people and that we had to follow him to survive. Manson amassed many followers over his “reign” from which he used his most loyal followers to kill anyone he wanted dead. Charles Manson was born Charles Milles Maddox on November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother’s name was Kathleen Maddox and his father is unknown to the public. Charles Manson took his last name from his step father who raised him after his mother, a raging alcoholic, sold him to a woman who wanted to have children for a pitcher …show more content…
The next two years Manson devotes all of his time in prison to his new singing/songwriting career. March of 1967 Manson is released from prison after the completion of his sentence and heads towards San Francisco to pursue his musical passion. During his travels Manson begins to pick up loyal followers, known as “The Family”, where the eventually move into Spahn Ranch, a ranch on the edge of Southern California (umkc.edu). Manson has the idea to go to music producer Terry Melcher to see if he would publish his music. When Manson goes to the home of actress Sharon Tate to find Melcher, he is met by Tate’s photographer who tells him to “leave down the back alley” which gives Manson a motive for his future attacks (umkc.edu). Over the next five months Manson instructs his followers to murder at least nine people. Manson never once takes part in any of the murders that he condones but does provide what his “family” will need to do so. In October 1967 Manson is arrested for charges of auto theft, while the authorities fail to make the connection to the murders. On January 25, 1971 the jury of the Tate-LaBianca trail finds all of the people involved guilty of murder and are all given the death penalty (umkc.edu). Manson is found guilty of nine counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death