Other New religious movements Los Angeles County, California, USA · 1969

Charles Manson and the Family: convictions tied to apocalyptic authority and coercive control

Record class

Separate register

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

See cited record

Organization

No organization assigned

Spiritual nexus

California appellate opinions affirm Manson's murder and conspiracy convictions and document his near-total authority over the Family. The court record describes followers who regarded him as a divine or Christ figure, an apocalyptic Helter Skelter prophecy used as the conspiracy's motive, sexual coercion used to demonstrate control, and orders that culminated in killings. No relationship to Solar Lodge O.T.O. or other occult organizations is inferred.

Primary record

Sources

People v. Manson, 61 Cal. App. 3d 102 (Cal. Ct. App. 1976).: The appellate opinion affirms Manson's Tate-LaBianca convictions and documents his unquestioned authority, followers' belief that he was a 'God man' or Christ, the apocalyptic prophecy used to motivate the conspiracy, and evidence of sexual coercion admitted to establish his control.
People v. Manson, 71 Cal. App. 3d 1 (Cal. Ct. App. 1977).: The second appellate opinion affirms Manson's life sentences for the Hinman and Shea murders and conspiracy, identifies him as the Family's leader and finds overwhelming evidence supporting the Hinman murder verdict.

Related record

Related cases · New religious movements

← Explore all cases