BIG WILLY AND LIL’ BIRK Charles Manson

Childhood Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to 16- year-old Kathleen Maddox. Kathleen had run away from home at the age of 15 and spent the next few decades drinking too much, with periods of time spent in jail. At age 9 started stealing and soon stealing cars to make money.

Adult life at age nineteen, he was released on parole after an unusual bout of good behavior he married Rosalie Willis, a waitress, and they had a son together, Charles Manson Jr. In April 1956, he was again sent to prison His first wife divorced him in June 1957

Adult Life cont. He married again, to a prostitute named Candy Stevens  Real name Leona Had second con Charles Luther Manson 2 nd wife divorced him after he went to jail a second time being arrested June 1, 1960

Prison Life Spent six years in prison he befriended the infamous Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, former member of Ma Barker's gang taught Charles Manson to play the steel guitar, Manson became obsessed with making music He believed that when he got out of prison, he could be a famous musician.

Life after prison Manson was released from jail on March, Headed to San Francisco to follow his dream of being a famous musician. Was not successful Then Manson and some of his followers moved into the Spahn Ranch it became a cult compound for "the Family."

Helter Skelter When the Beatles released their White Album in 1968, Manson believed their song "Helter Skelter" predicted an upcoming race war when blacks were going to rise up and slaughter all the white people He told his followers that they would be saved because they would go underground, literally, by traveling to an underground city of gold located in Death Valley When the event did not occur, He told his followers that they needed to show the blacks how to do it.

The Orders Manson ordered the followers to go to the house of Terry Melcher, The man who refused to help Manson in his music career. Melcher no longer lived there; actress Sharon Tate and her husband, director Roman Polanski, had rented the house On August 9, 1969, four of Manson's followers brutally murdered Tate, her unborn baby, and four others who were visiting her.

The Followers Manson chose four of his most obedient comrades, Charles 'Tex' Watson, Susan Watkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian, to carry out these heinous crimes Manson took no part in the killings Atkins killed Sharon Tate, Atkins then used Tate's blood to write the word 'PIG' on the front door.

Cathrine Share Susan Atkins A.k.a “Gypsy” Share and Manson Family member Mary Brunner, as well as several others, held up a surplus store and took nearly 150 guns. When the police showed up, a shootout ensued, and Share and a few others were shot (none fatally) and taken into custody Susan Atkins, possibly the most disturbed of all the killers, admitted in initial confessions to fellow prisoners that she had wanted to cut out Tate's unborn baby, but didn't have the time

Charles Watson Patricia Krenwinkel A.K.A “Tex” he led other Manson followers, under Manson's orders, into a house in Hollywood, and murdered actress Sharon Tate and four other people. Manson was playing a guitar and immediately captivated Krenwinkel, who slept with him that night. Krenwinkel had always had low self-esteem, and Manson manipulated her, telling her she was beautiful and pulling her into his sphere of influence. Followers Cont.

Arrest Ironically, Manson and his Family were arrested not on suspicion of the murders but simply on the belief that they had vandalized a portion of the Death Valley National Park while they were hiding out in the Mojave Desert

Crazy Manson Manson believed that he was the new Messiah and that after a 'nuclear attack' he and his followers would be saved by hiding in a secret world under the desert Believed that after the race war ‘black’ would triumph Then Manson and his ‘Family’ would have to teach the blacks how to run the planet

Charges On January 25, 1971 Manson was convicted of first degree murder for directing the deaths of the Tate/La Bianca victims. He was sentenced to death but this was automatically commuted to life in prison after the Californian's Supreme Court invalidated all death sentences prior to Kasabian was granted immunity for her part in acting as star witness. Susan Atkins was sentenced to death, but was later commuted to life in prison. She was incarcerated from 1969 until her death in 2009.

Interesting Facts The Beach Boys released a song written by Manson entitled "Cease To Exist" (renamed "Never Learn Not To Love") on their 1969 album, 20/20, as a single B-side. During his trial, Manson released an album titled Lie in an effort to raise money for his defense. Manson revealed in media attention and during court proceedings turned up with an X carved on his forehead. The X was gradually modified until it turned into a swastika symbol.

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