Charles Manson

Society's Nightmare

“I am only what you made me. I am a reflection of you. ” These are the haunting, yet thought-provoking, words of the manipulative psychopath, Charles Manson. So what really goes on in the mind of a serial killer and cult leader? This is his story. Charles Willis Manson, also known as Charlie, was born on November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio to a 16-year-old prostitute named Kathleen Maddox. He never knew his father, and early in his childhood his mother was sent to jail for armed robbery charges. He was sent to live with family members, and at 12 he was sent to the Gilbaut School For Boys. He ran home to his mother, but she sent him back. This was when his delinquency began. He, like his mother, was charged with armed robbery, and went to jail at thirteen. When he was released, he was in and out all the time. In 1955, at the age of 19, Charles married a 17-year-old girl. However, he wound up back in jail for auto theft charges and his wife, then pregnant, left him. After he got out that time, he was still in and out for forgery and pimping. He was married twice, and had a son with both wives, Charles Jr. and Charles Luther. By the age of 32, he’d spent 17 years of his life in jail. He moved to California and started gathering his famous cult. Most psychopaths share common traits. For Charlie, these included being manipulative, deceptive, promiscuous, and emotionally callous. He often searched for women that seemed to be lost and confused. They became like slaves to him, enchanted by his songs and poetry. Charlie was a mission oriented serial killer- he believed it was his calling to rid the world of a certain group. He was very racist to the point of having a swastika carved into his forehead. If he hadn’t been a killer, he most likely would’ve succeeded in music. He’d often sit with his followers, play guitar, and sing for them. However, the 60s drug craze seemed to have gotten the best of him. He’d often use LSD and amphetamines to alter his cult’s personalities to his likings. His personality was very strange, and many say he believed that he was Jesus and The Beatles, a very popular band at the time, were the four angels. He told his followers that he would rise up and rule the world. He believed that The Beatles were speaking to him through their music. Their song “Helter Skelter” inspired his pseudonym and title for the series of murders. Charles developed a group of more than 40 people. They called themselves The Manson Family. All of them were preached to and influenced by Charlie. Many of them did drugs and played guitar. Their cult could be classified as hippies. It was three members of the Manson Family that committed the murders. Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Tex Watson, under the orders of Charlie, arrived on the night of August 9, 1969, at the house of Stephen Parent and his 8-months-pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, a famous actress. Also at the house that night were Abigail Folger, coffee heiress, Voityck Frokowski, her boyfriend, and Jay Sebring. The three shot, stabbed, and mutilated all of them repeatedly. Tate begged for mercy for her baby, but they showed none. The bodies were discovered the next morning by their housekeeper. Later in that 24-hour period, the killers went to the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, a very rich couple. They killed them as well, and wrote messages on the walls and refrigerators in blood, including Helter Skelter, spelled incorrectly, and the word “Rise”. They were caught quickly. Trial began on July 24, 1970. Kasabian had a nervous breakdown and testified as a witness for the prosecution. Her, Watson, Krenwinkel, and later Manson were sentenced to death. However, California abolished the death penalty in 1972, so they were given life in prison. Now, Manson is often transferred back and forth from a very strict state prison known as The Hole and a Protective Housing Unit (PHU). His next parole hearing is in 2007, and if it’s like the previous one, things won’t change and he’ll still be imprisoned. Although only seven bodies were found and proven to be Manson and his followers’ work, he claims to have killed 35 people. His lawyer says that from what he knows, it was probably even more than that. No one will ever understand the mind of a mad man except their fellow crazies, but it fascinates me. Charles Manson has gone down in history, still worshiped by some, but detested by most. Who knows what brought on these horrid acts? For now we can just hope that history does not repeat itself.