Charles Manson, Leader of Murderous Cult in the 1960s, Dies at 83
Charles Manson, the notorious leader of a racist cult serving a life sentence for ordering his followers to commit murder in 1969, died in a California hospital of natural causes on Sunday night at the age of 83, NBC confirms.
Manson built a following and sought to be the catalyst for an apocalyptic race war between black and white people. He called this predicted war "Helter Skelter."
Manson was sentenced to death in 1970 following the string of murders he oversaw, but escaped execution due to the abolition of the death penalty in California.
The cult of the "Manson family" captured public attention for the bizarre and horrifying 1969 murders of actor Sharon Tate and four of her friends in her home. Wojtek Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent and Abigail Folger were the names of the other victims. Four of the individuals were stabbed 102 times and the other shot.
Tex Watson and three female followers of Manson's cult placed under his orders committed the murders on Manson's command, although the original target had moved from the home. Two days later, Manson's followers murdered Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in their home, writing "Death to Pigs" and a misspelled version of "Helter Skelter" on the walls in blood.
The trial made national headlines for Manson and his followers' behavior during the proceedings. Manson attempted to physically attack the judge, and his associates engaged in intimidation tactics against witnesses.
After Manson entered lifelong incarceration, he continued to give media interviews that featured bizarre behavior and incoherent ramblings.
The fate of Manson's followers, specifically the young women under his control, became a point of public debate, namely their dual role as perpetrators of violence and victims of a violent male cult leader. Gov. Jerry Brown of California stepped into the controversy by denying the release of Leslie Van Houten after she was granted parole.
Manson was denied parole at every hearing.
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