Manson’s Mind: Evil Examined

Kathleen Maddox's tumultuous life set the stage for a series of events that would shape the infamous story of her son, Charles Manson. Kathleen often indulged in drinking sprees with her brother, Luther, during which she met Colonel Walker Henderson Scott Jr. This encounter led to the birth of her son, whom she named Charles. In a bid to maintain her relationship with her husband, William Manson, Kathleen deceitfully claimed the child was his, despite knowing otherwise. Her incessant drinking sprees continued, leaving young Charles under the care of babysitters while William worked tirelessly.

Eventually, William discovered the truth about Charles's paternity and, weary of Kathleen's habits, divorced her on April 30, 1937.

Life took a darker turn for Kathleen and Luther's girlfriend, Julia Vickers, when they plotted to rob their wealthy acquaintance, Frank Martin. Luther joined in the criminal endeavor, but their scheme was swiftly thwarted by the police. At the trial, Luther received a ten-year sentence, while Kathleen was sentenced to five years in prison. Consequently, Charles was placed in the care of his aunt and uncle. Upon her parole in 1942, Kathleen's return to Charles's life marked a joyous reunion for him. Subsequently, they relocated to West Virginia, where Kathleen met a man named Lewis. However, she sent Charles to Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, Indiana—a school for male delinquents run by Catholic priests.

Charles's time at the school was fraught with challenges, and he attempted to escape multiple times. His first escape led him back to his mother, but she returned him to the institution. Ten months later, Charles ran away again, this time to Indianapolis, where his criminal activities began. He rented a room, funding it through nighttime burglaries of stores. Eventually caught, he was sent to a juvenile facility in Omaha, Nebraska. After just four days, Charles and another boy, Blackie Nielson, stole a car and a gun, robbing a grocery store and casino. Fleeing to Nielson's uncle's house in Peoria, Illinois, they learned new criminal strategies. However, Charles's attempt to raid a Peoria store ended in capture, leading to his return to the Indiana School for Boys. Allegedly raped during his stay, Charles sought to escape by feigning insanity, a tactic taught to him by Nielson's uncle. When this failed, he conspired with two other boys to escape in February 1951. Driving separate stolen cars, they were apprehended in Utah. Under the Dyer Act, crossing state lines in a stolen car is a federal offense, resulting in Charles's transfer to Washington D.C. There, tests revealed he was illiterate but possessed an IQ of 109, higher than the national average of 100.

In October 1951, Charles was moved to a minimum-security institution, frequently visited by his aunt. However, before his parole board hearing, he committed a violent sexual assault, leading to his transfer to a Federal Reformatory in Petersburg, Virginia. There, he incurred eight more offenses, three of which were sexual in nature. Due to his age and repeated offenses, he was relocated to a maximum-security reformatory in Chillicothe, Ohio, with a plan to detain him until his 21st birthday. However, Charles's good behavior led to an early release in May 1954.

By January 1955, Charles married Rosalie Jean Willis, a hospital waitress, and they soon expected a child. Opting to move to Los Angeles, they traveled in a stolen car from Ohio, resulting in Charles's arrest for crossing state lines with a stolen vehicle. He received a five-year sentence but failed to appear at hearings in Los Angeles and Florida, resulting in a warrant for his arrest. Captured in Indianapolis in March 1956, Charles was sentenced to three years at Terminal Island, San Pedro, California. During his imprisonment, Rosalie gave birth to Charles Manson Jr., and the couple visited weekly until Rosalie left Charles for another man. Despite efforts to escape incarceration, including forging documents and attempting to steal a car, Charles accumulated more time behind bars. Eventually, he met Leona, who testified to their planned marriage, securing his early release and subsequent marriage to her. However, during a trip to New Mexico, Charles was arrested for check forgery, earning a ten-year sentence in 1960.

In 1961, Charles was transferred to McNeil Island, Washington, where he met Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, leader of the Barker-Karpis gang. Karpis taught Charles guitar, a skill he would later use to attract followers. In 1963, Leona divorced Charles, but he discovered they had a son, Charles Luther. Charles's return to Terminal Island in 1966 preceded his release on March 21, 1967. Upon his release, Charles gained notoriety through his music and charisma, drawing followers who became known as "The Manson Family." His desire for power led to manipulation for sex, money, and ultimately, murder. Under his influence, the Manson Family committed 18 murders, the most infamous being the Hinman, Tate, and LaBianca murders.

The Hinman murder involved Manson shooting Bernard Crowe after a financial dispute, mistakenly believing Crowe was affiliated with the Black Panthers. Fearing retribution, Manson sent members to extort money from his friend, Gary Hinman. When Hinman resisted, Manson sliced his ear with a sword, and a family member, Beausoleil, fatally stabbed Hinman. In an attempt to mislead, they painted "political piggy" and a Black Panther paw print in Hinman's blood. Beausoleil was later found in Hinman's car, covered in blood and with the murder weapon.

The Tate murder occurred at a house party hosted by Sharon Tate, who was nine months pregnant. Manson, angered by the homeowner's previous denial of a record deal, ordered the family's gruesome attack. Four members infiltrated the home, killing visitor Steven Parent, who was departing. Tate and her friends, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Jay Sebring, met brutal deaths—Sebring was shot and stabbed, Frykowski was shot, beaten, and stabbed 51 times, Folger was stabbed 28 times, and Tate, despite her pleas, was stabbed 16 times.

The LaBianca murder followed on August 10, 1969, when Manson and his followers targeted Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. After Manson and Watson subdued the couple, Manson left, entrusting Watson with completing the task. Rosemary was stabbed 41 times, and Leno was stabbed 26 times, with messages like "Death to Pigs" and "Rise" scrawled in Leno's blood, alongside "Healter Skelter" on the refrigerator.

These notorious murders, among others, led to Charles Manson's arrest and subsequent conviction. Initially sentenced to death for the Tate murders, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after California's death penalty was briefly abolished. Despite multiple parole hearings, Manson never gained release due to his continued influence and criminal activities, including drug trafficking from prison. His notoriety grew through interviews, with one earning an Emmy, yet his health declined over the years. On January 1, 2017, Manson became gravely ill, and unable to undergo surgery, he succumbed to cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and colon cancer on November 19, 2017. His life remains a chilling testament to the impact of manipulation, charisma, and unchecked delusion on the human psyche.

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