In August 1969, a string of violent murders stunned the entire world. Charles Manson, whose name has since become synonymous with cult-led violence, was the mastermind behind the infamous "Tate-LaBianca" killings. The first killing occurred on the night of August 8–9, and the victims included pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four of her friends who were visiting that night.nson had apparently chosen the house where Tate lived because he believed a record executive who had rejected his songs was still living there. The following evening, the "family" also murdered supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, at their home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles.
In the trial that followed, Manson and his followers testified that the killings had been intended to precipitate a race war since they intended their crimes to be blamed on black activists. As a result of his involvement in these killings, Manson was sentenced to death in 1971; however, his sentence was eventually reduced to life in prison. Manson would spend decades in jail until his death in November 2017 at the age of 83. Of his surviving followers, four remain in California prisons.
In August 1997, Manson, who was then 63 years old, was transferred to Pelican Bay State Prison for drug trafficking charges while in prison. Also known as California's "supermax" prison, Pelican Bay housed the most dangerous inmates who were serving long sentences (i.e., 25 to life with the possibility of parole). Due to being previously diagnosed with severe mental illness, Manson was housed in Pelican Bay's psychiatric service unit (PSU).
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