Before the Internet redefined "crazy" the go-to definition was Charles Manson. This guy was beyond "out there". He was one of those unique individuals where his charisma and persona were so strong that people naturally gravitated toward him. Unfortunately, the path that Manson lead his followers down was, to say the least, not a good one.

The New York Times  in their obituary said this of Manson:

Mr. Manson was a semiliterate habitual criminal and failed musician before he came to irrevocable attention in the late 1960s as the wild-eyed leader of the Manson family, a murderous band of young drifters in California. Convicted of nine murders in all, Mr. Manson was known in particular for the seven brutal killings collectively called the Tate-LaBianca murders, committed by his followers on two consecutive August nights in 1969.

The news coverage of the Tate-LaBianca murders and subsequent trials captured the attention of the nation. Up until the time of the O.J. Simpson trial the Manson trial was the most hyped crime and punishment story of the 1970's and beyond.

The Manson Family, as his followers were called, were also implicated in an attack on the life of President Gerald Ford. Lynette"Squeaky" Fromme was implicated and charged in that attack. Although she was not charged in the Tate-Labianca murders she was a regular fixture during that trial. She was released from prison a little less than 10 years ago.

 

 

More From 97.3 The Dawg