Manson Family: Official Story VS Deeper Truths
When I think about this case- I can’t think of a case similar to Charles Manson and his followers. Generally things happen, we find ourselves shocked, outraged…. then it just slowly fades as life moves forward. Even something as awful and tragic as school shootings- they seem to just drift from the memory of so many. This is different entirely. I personally have heard about Manson throughout my life. The story never seeming to fade away. Something that occurred before I was born and has been spoken of and followed throughout my adulthood. The only thing vaguely similar that comes to mind is Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder. An absolute media craze. However, they aren’t the same. The Manson murders were a cultural shift, they horrified us all, and had regular folks and celebrities alike in LA County terrified.
As I dove into Tom O’Neils book, I was hooked. Stunned. Captivated. It’s understandable how he mistakenly gave what was supposed to be a 3 month story 20 years of his life.
When you think of it all. The family, the farm. This was not a ‘cult’ that lived isolated until suddenly going on a murder spree. I think that’s important to know and remember. Manson and his followers were well known throughout LA County- partying with celebrities even. One recount placed Manson at a recording studio with The Beach Boys. Cleaning his nails with his pocket knife. How did he find himself there? A man who had been in and out of federal prison somehow now enmeshed with people like The Beach Boys.
Throughout Manson’s life his criminal activity never stopped. He spent majority of his his life in juvenile detentions and federal prison.
What if I told you Mason was arrested many times before the murders and that he even was convicted- while on parole! Yet his parole was never revoked and to the contrary his parole officer wrote shining reports of Manson and his behavior.
LA County law enforcement was a aware of the criminal activity and somehow he remained free. Now retired officers have given interviews saying they received strict orders to “leave the family alone” essentially turn your head to their crimes. They were further instructed to send memos to their chief of any interactions they had with the family. Some assumed he was an informant or intelligence although they had no idea for who.
Often times when someone commits a heinous act their history shows a lead up to the event. That’s why profilers exist. There are hallmarks that indicate things like this. For example, if someone harms animals as a child it’s more likely they’ll kill as an adult or at least have thoughts or a desire to. Someone like Scott Peterson is different than Ted Bundy- different motivating factors. I say all of that to tell you that aside from Charles Manson and Susan Atkins, none of the members involved in the murders had a violent or criminal history.
The events and characters in this story are tied to other instances in history some even taking place at the same times- making me wonder… coincidence? Does lightening in fact strike twice?
There’s many layers to this onion.
Buckle up… it’s going to get weird.
