The Column

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Prosecutor recalls Manson after 40 years




It's hard to believe it's been 40 years ... and Charles Manson is in his mid-70s.

An excerpt, from Newsweek:

... Vincent Bugliosi, the chief prosecutor in the case, secured first-degree murder convictions against Manson and his codefendants; the jury returned verdicts of death, which were subsequently reduced to life imprisonment when California set aside the death penalty in 1972. Bugliosi went on to co-author a book about the case with Curt Gentry titled Helter Skelter (after the Beatles song name printed in blood at one of the murder scenes), which became, according to his publisher, the bestselling true-crime book of all time. Bugliosi spoke with NEWSWEEK's Tom Watson on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Manson murders about what it was like to prosecute the case, and why Manson's chaotic charisma continues to attract global attention to this day ...

After all this time Manson a) has zero chance for parole and b) still fascinates.

(Photo: Charles Manson in custody, 1969.)



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