How Docuseries Making Manson Complicates the Story Behind the Tate-LaBianca Murders

As a historian and researcher with years of experience delving into the lives of infamous figures, I find the case of Charles Manson to be one that continues to baffle and intrigue me. The latest docuseries, “Making Manson,” attempts to shed new light on this dark chapter in American history, but it leaves us with more questions than answers about the true nature of Manson’s involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

Although Charles Manson passed away in 2017, the tale surrounding him continues to resonate. Known as one of the most infamous cult leaders and criminals in U.S. history, Manson is primarily associated with the so-called “Manson Family Murders” that occurred in 1969. During this time, followers of Manson such as Charles “Tex” Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian are believed to have murdered actress Sharon Tate, her unborn child, and Tate’s guests. The following night, the same group—which also included Manson himself and Family members Leslie van Houten and Steve “Clem” Grogan—carried out a similar attack on grocery business executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, resulting in their deaths as well.

Manson and his group have been extensively studied through numerous books, films, documentaries, and podcasts, focusing on various aspects of their story: Manson’s ties to the music world and counterculture of the 1960s, his purported obsession with “Helter Skelter” (a murder manifesto inspired by a song from the Beatles’ White Album), and the tragic murder of Tate, whose career was on the rise following her role in the 1967 film Valley Of The Dolls.

Beginning November 19th, Peacock will add a new addition to its collection – a three-part docuseries on Manson, directed by Billie Mintz (known for “The Guardians”). Titled “Creating Manson”, this series contains two decades’ worth of previously unheard conversations between Manson and his pen pal John Michael Jones. Jones claims that these tapes contradict everything ever written about Manson.

Before he passed away, Manson shared extensive details with Jones about his turbulent childhood, which included being mistreated, growing up as a ward of the state of Indiana, with his mother frequently in and out of prison. At nine years old, Manson was sent to the Gibault School for Boys, a Catholic-run institution for delinquents situated in Terre Haute. They conversed about minor crimes, Manson’s early adulthood imprisonments, and his release during the Summer of Love in 1967 at age 32. He also talked to Jones about forming his Family (consisting primarily of young women who had been rejected by their own families), his dream of becoming a well-known musician, and his account of the events leading up to the Tate-LaBianca murders.

At the heart of these tapes lies Manson’s assertion that he didn’t explicitly order the killings of Sharon Tate or the LaBiancas, hence, it was unjust for him to be convicted of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder in 1971.

Besides Jones, the documentary “Making Manson” also includes interviews with ex-Family members such as Dianne Lake, Alan Rose, Catherine Share, journalist Linda Deutsch, Manson’s former cellmate Phil Kaufman, music producer Gregg Jakobson, and forensic psychologist Dr. Tod Roy, along with others.

The account given in the documentary titled “Making Manson” is revisited, shedding light on how the tapes challenge the usual perspectives about Charles Manson’s life and illegal actions.

What was Charles Manson’s early life like?

Born in 1934, Charles Manson grew up primarily within correctional facilities due to a young mother and a string of crimes committed from 1951 onwards. His initial incarceration was due to a succession of robberies and other offenses. Subsequently, he served time at Terminal Island in Los Angeles and McNeil Island in Washington. Upon his release at the age of 32 in 1967, Manson settled in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury District, immersing himself deeply in the hippie culture, experimenting with LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, attending Grateful Dead concerts, and participating actively within the counterculture movement.

Enhanced by the liberated lifestyle of the movement and inspired by aspirations to become a renowned musician, experimentation with psychedelic substances, spiritual teachings from the Bible, and songs from The Beatles (among other factors), Manson began sharing his unique beliefs and amassed a following, predominantly consisting of young women who had departed their homes under challenging circumstances.

Who is John Michael Jones?

As a long-term correspondent of Charles Manson’s, I found myself in a unique position. Identifying myself as a struggling addict who had lost both my business and personal life, I recounted to the filmmakers how my initial letters to Manson were written with the hope of receiving a response, ideally including his signature for potential resale online. However, the process proved more challenging than anticipated, as Manson rarely wrote to people. Aware that I had an intricate task at hand, I was undeterred and determined to make contact.

Additionally, Jones admits that he was aware of Manson’s persistent claim of innocence regarding the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969. He explains to documentarians, “I needed him to think I believed him innocent.” So, I wrote a poem about an innocent man who is imprisoned on death row at San Quentin… It was effective.

In an unexpected turn of events, Manson found himself responding to a letter from Jones. ‘I never dreamt that asking for an autograph would lead me into a realm I could barely fathom,’ Jones recounted, detailing how Manson reached out to him out of the blue. Over the next two decades, they maintained their connection through frequent phone calls, with Manson requesting Jones to document these conversations.

Their discussions covered various topics, including Manson’s history of abuse, his opinions about the Family, and his claims of innocence. To clarify, these phone calls do not present Manson as a virtuous individual – something that Manson himself acknowledged from the beginning. “While other children aspired to become college professors,” he said to Jones, “I wanted to be a criminal. I wanted to be an outlaw.

Back in 2017 when Charlie Manson passed away, I heard that Jones allegedly started a GoFundMe campaign to cover his funeral costs. However, it seems that GoFundMe eventually took down the page.

What was “the Family”?

Originally, the individuals known as the Manson Family perceived themselves as a hippie-style community. However, history would ultimately label them as a deadly cult. Initiated by Manson in the late 1960s, this group reached its height with approximately 100 members, primarily women from middle-class families who were captivated by the countercultural ideals and shared living of the hippie movement.

According to the documentary’s account, it seems that Manson frequently provided his followers with LSD, potentially as a means of controlling them. By then, Manson himself had ceased using acid, yet he continued to distribute it among the women within his group. In the recordings, he says to Jones, “I never lose control, but I exert control.

By the late 1960s, The Family resided at the Spahn Ranch, situated in Topanga Canyon – originally a Western movie set that later became a weekend horse rental spot. As a former family member, Catherine Share, recounted to filmmakers: “There was certainly a lot of intimacy happening, but it wasn’t a cult centered around sex.

In the series, Dianne Lake – another family member interviewed – recounts instances of physical abuse by Manson, detailing being struck, beaten, and sexually assaulted. In reply, Manson is recorded saying: “They’re just a bunch of kids whining about nonsense. I’m safeguarding my family. Doing what any ordinary American would do.

What was Manson’s relationship to the Beach Boys and Dennis Wilson?

Before moving to Spahn Ranch, Charles Manson and his group spent some time at Dennis Wilson’s house on Sunset Boulevard earlier on. During his incarceration, Manson had learned the guitar and harbored dreams of a music career. Wilson became close friends with Manson and introduced him to significant figures in the music business, including Terry Melcher, a producer for Columbia Records. At first, Melcher seemed interested in signing Manson, but he promptly changed his mind after observing Manson’s aggressive behavior. Melcher promised to get back to Manson about a record deal, but unfortunately never followed through. According to Catherine Share and Phil Kaufman, this failure to follow up was a significant blow for Manson, who maintained a convict-like demeanor and wore it as a badge of honor.

In 1968, Brian Wilson purchased a song titled “Cease To Exist” from Charlie Manson for $500. This track eventually transformed into the Beach Boys’ B-side “Never Learn Not To Love.” However, Manson was incensed when he discovered that Wilson had altered the song and neglected to give him credit. The recordings suggest that Manson expressed his discontent by saying, “Don’t modify it. My songs are like my religion, man.” Despite Wilson’s attempts to reassure Manson that this was simply part of the music business, Manson remained bitter and felt cheated.

What was “Helter Skelter”?

The tune “Helter Skelter” is found on the Beatles’ 1968 album, famously referred to as the White Album. However, when Charles Manson listened to it, he perceived it as a secret prophecy foretelling an impending racial conflict or apocalypse.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I remember Charlie insisting on playing that album repeatedly – forwards, backwards. He even kept me confined in the room until I had to relieve myself, all so we could truly absorb it. I sense that he was deeply convinced that some form of racial unrest lay ahead and wanted us prepared to defend ourselves.

Manson contradicts this in his tapes, telling Jones: “’Helter Skelter’ wasn’t my trip. That was a f-cking game, man. It was a magical mystery tour.”

What led up to the Tate-LaBianca Murders?

A few Family-related incidents led up to the cult’s most infamous killings. 

In the summer of 1969, family associate Charles “Tex” Watson carried out a robbery on drug dealer Bernard “Lotsapoppa” Crowe. It was claimed that Crowe had threatened to kill all residents at Spahn Ranch. In response, Manson took action by wounding Crowe, whom he thought was a Black Panther member, in the abdomen. Contrary to this belief, Crowe wasn’t actually part of the Black Panthers and managed to survive the shooting.

Nevertheless, Manson, who was paranoid and delusional, believed that a revolutionary group would take revenge. In response, he invited the motorcycle gang known as Straight Satans to provide security at Spahn Ranch. During this period, he also instructed his followers to carry out “creepy crawlies,” which involved entering homes, rearranging furniture but not stealing any items. As recounted by Share, the Family was fiercely loyal to Manson and each other, willing to do anything for him.

After the Straight Satans had agreed – “They were ready to safeguard the Ranch due to the abundance of sexual encounters,” as Share elaborates – the situation deteriorated with the killing of Gary Hinman.

Who was Gary Hinman?

Gary Hinman, a resident of Topanga, was both a UCLA graduate student and a part-time music instructor. Occasionally, he intersected with the Manson Family. As per journalist and author Ivor Davis, who shared this information with filmmakers, Hinman supplemented his income by preparing and selling illegal substances on the side.

The explanation for why Hinman was killed has evolved somewhat over the years. Originally, it was assumed that Manson dispatched Susan Atkins, Bobby Beausoleil, and Mary Brunner to Hinman’s residence with the intention of recruiting him into their group, as Manson believed Hinman had an inheritance of around $21,000. However, it was later discovered that Hinman did not actually possess any money.

Manson explained to Jones on his recordings that Hinman was murdered due to a sour drug transaction. “The Straight Satans were after mescaline, and Bobby said, ‘I have a friend named Gary Hinman who sells mescaline. I can arrange a good deal for you.’ The Straight Satans replied, ‘This stuff isn’t any good. We want our money back.’ Bobby responded, ‘I can’t. And they threatened, ‘If you don’t return our money, we’ll harm you.’

In the end, Beausoleil, Brunner, and Atkins kept Hinman imprisoned at his residence for two consecutive days. It was Beausoleil who ended Hinman’s life by stabbing him due to fear that he might contact the authorities. Manson also appeared on the scene, inflicting deep cuts on Hinman’s ear and cheek with a knife. To mislead investigations, Beausoleil scrawled “Political Piggy” and a panther paw in blood on a wall, suggesting that the Black Panthers were responsible for the crime. Beausoleil was apprehended on August 6, 1969, when he was discovered dozing off in Hinman’s automobile. A bloody knife was found in the trunk of the car.

In interviews, friends who were once associated with Manson describe the events involving Crowe and Hinman as a sequence of unfortunate choices rather than deliberate assaults. Share, one of these friends, clarifies to filmmakers that they never intended to act violently in any manner whatsoever. He adds that Charlie was concerned he might end up back in prison if he didn’t exercise caution.

Share additionally proposes: “Charlie seemed to regress into his former gangster, criminal persona. It appears he experienced some sort of psychological crisis and resorted to this state where he felt compelled to take action to free Bobby from jail.

In the recording, Manson asserts that his godfather doesn’t engage in violence, and he himself is innocent of any murder charges. He emphasizes that there is no blood on his hands; he did not take anyone’s life.

What happened to Sharon Tate and the LaBiancas?

From my perspective as a film buff, in recorded conversations, Manson mentions that Watson owed him due to his involvement in the Crowe predicament. Simultaneously, he claims that he was owed by Beausoleil for preventing Hinman from reporting to the authorities. Essentially, I’d just suggest, “Hey, settle up with your brother.” I told Tex, “Get your brother out of jail.

Employing the criminal’s unwritten rule, Manson successfully convinced Watson and several other followers of his Family to commit a similar crime at Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski’s residence, who had tied the knot the previous year. Their subsequent plan was to carry out another random murder, making it appear as though they were replicating the Tate murder. As journalist Linda Deutsch explains to filmmakers, “They were determined to do whatever was necessary to free a comrade, even with this seemingly insane copycat scheme.

On August 8, 1969, Watson accompanied Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian to a house they knew well – 10050 Cielo Drive. Previously, Manson and he had attended parties hosted by its previous tenant, Terry Melcher. Unfortunately, Polanski was away at the time, but Sharon Tate, along with friends Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, and Abigail Anne Folger, were present in the house. Also on the property were caretaker William Garretson and his friend Steven Earl Parent. Tragically, all six adults were murdered, including Tate who was eight and a half months pregnant. During the trial, her unborn child was recognized as the seventh victim of this horrific crime.

On the following evening, not just the four family members but also Manson, Leslie Van Houten, and Clem Grogan journeyed to Los Feliz, a district within Los Angeles. Their destination was 3301 Waverly Drive, the residence of Leno LaBianca who resided there with his wife Rosemary. This house shared a border with one that had been leased by UCLA alumnus Harold True, and it so happened that Manson and certain family members had attended a gathering at this very same property the year before.

In the recordings, Manson asserts that he entered 3301 Waverly Drive but departed upon realizing the LaBiancas were present. He explains, “I wasn’t there to burglarize or cause any trouble. I simply turned around and apologized before leaving.” According to him, Watson opted to remain behind. Manson further stated, “Tex was already there, he decided to carry out his actions… Tex was seeking someone to sacrifice in order to free a fellow prisoner. My actions had nothing to do with it.” In the end, Krenwinkel, Van Houten, and Watson fatally stabbed Rosemary LaBianca 42 times each, while Watson also inflicted 12 stab wounds on Leno and etched the word “WAR” into his abdomen.

In his closing argument to the jury, lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi posited that the primary driving force behind the murders was Charles Manson’s intense fixation, or what he termed as Helter Skelter. To Manson, Helter Skelter represented a belief system he followed fervently. He perceived Helter Skelter as the Black community rising against the white, instigating a racial conflict.

What happened to Charles Manson?

In October 1969, authorities raided the Barker Ranch, home of the Manson Family group, and arrested its inhabitants for auto theft allegations. During interrogation, one member of the group implicated Susan Atkins in the murder of Hinman. Later, while incarcerated, Atkins boasted to her cellmates about her involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders, thus tying Manson to the crime scene.

Following a trial filled with media attention, Manson returned to prison in 1971 after being found guilty on seven charges of first-degree murder and one charge of conspiring to commit murder. Initially given the death sentence, this was overturned the following year when the California Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional. In 1977, he was resentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. He was denied parole on twelve occasions before his passing in 2017 at the age of 83.

What new information do the Manson tapes reveal?

The documentary series “Making Manson” seeks to challenge some well-known theories about the Tate-LaBianca murders, including the idea that Manson was responsible for inciting Helter Skelter. Moreover, it suggests that Manson himself was unaware of the murders before they occurred. The filmmakers are told by Jones, “I’m not claiming that Manson was an innocent man, but in terms of these crimes, he was innocent because he didn’t give the orders for them.”

According to Manson, he wasn’t pretending to be good, but people misunderstood him. He claims he never instructed Watson to do anything wrong and knew the actions would be considered part of a conspiracy if he had. However, he remained silent, as he had no involvement in the killings. He felt there was a bond among them, a brotherhood, which he’d always supported. But when he stood up for this brotherhood with Tex, and Tex took things further, people blamed Manson. He maintains that he didn’t tell Tex anything that a military drill sergeant wouldn’t say.

In his conversation with Jones, Manson clarifies, “I don’t engage in wars against innocent individuals. I don’t cold-bloodedly kill people while they sleep.” He then adds, “While I have done other actions, I am absolutely not culpable for this particular crime.

Previously, Watson has consistently asserted that Manson was responsible for the killings. In response to filmmakers, he stated: “My account of events from the start has remained consistent.” Watson continues to serve his sentence; his next parole review is scheduled for January 2026.

Beyond asserting that he didn’t directly command the Tate-LaBianca murders, Manson, in his recordings, suggests that various factors including sensationalized media coverage of the trial and a portrayal of him as a “hippie cult leader” by lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi contributed to his conviction and notoriety. For example, Manson argues that he was not allowed to shave in prison, thus fueling the public’s perception of him as intimidating due to his unkempt beard.

Contrary to Manson’s claims made after his death that he was innocent of murder and conspiring to commit murder, ex-members of his group, including Share, assert under filmmaker interview that they were coerced and intimidated into staying at the ranch during Manson’s trial period.

Share revealed to filmmakers that while Charlie was in prison, he made a chilling threat against him. During their visit, Charlie menacingly told Clem, “If [Share’s nickname] attempts to leave, I want you to tie her to a car and slowly pull her back to the ranch without killing her. Make her wish she was dead.

Despite numerous contrasting narratives, including Manson’s own account, the reasons behind the Tate-LaBianca murders continue to be unclear, even as “Making Manson” tries to provide clarity. However, one point seems undeniable: Manson was exceptionally skilled at blending into his environment, as many in the documentary series refer to him, a skill that allowed him to manipulate anyone he encountered into carrying out his orders.

Share expresses doubt about Manson’s honesty, suggesting that he might have been deceiving them when speaking about his involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

According to forensic psychologist Dr. Tod Roy, anyone who interacted with him suffered harm or met a tragic end.

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2024-11-19 22:08