Manson’s death brings ‘no joy’ for families of victims
UNITED STATES: The families of Charles Manson’s victims said his death gave them no ‘‘joy or comfort’’ yesterday as the US reacted to the passing of the notorious killer.
Relatives of those slaughtered by Manson’s cult said his death brought no closure, given many of his murderous followers remain alive in prison.
California’s prison authority is deciding what to do with the 83-year-old’s body if, as expected, no relative comes forward in the next 10 days.
Officials will either cremate or bury his body, and will also decide the fate of the two guitars and pieces of art said to have been in Manson’s possession.
Commentators attempted to grapple with the significance of Manson’s crimes yesterday as details of his planned killings were retold.
In 1969, Manson’s followers known as the ‘‘Manson Family’’ murdered nine people in California.
Among those killed was Sharon Tate, the Hollywood actress and wife of Roman Polanski, the film director.
She was eight and a half months pregnant. Tate was stabbed to death in her own home, along with her friends Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger and Jay Sebring. The word ‘‘PIG’’ was scrawled on the front door in the actress’s blood.
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, a wealthy couple in Los Angeles; Donald Shea, a Hollywood stuntman; and Gary Hinman, an acquaintance of the group, were also killed by Manson’s followers.
Manson was not present at the murders but was sentenced to death in 1971 after confessing to masterminding the massacre. That was later reduced to nine life sentences when the death penalty was outlawed in California. All requests for parole have been denied.
Debra Tate, Sharon’s sister, said yesterday that she ‘‘said a prayer, shed a tear [and] stuck a flower under my cross in my bedroom’’ on hearing the news of Manson’s death.
She told ABC News: ‘‘While Charlie may be gone, it’s the ones that are still alive that perpetrated everything and it was up to their imaginations for what brutal things were going to be done. In an odd way I see them as much more dangerous individuals.’’
Anthony DiMaria, the nephew of Jay Sebring, said: ‘‘We derive no joy or comfort from the passing of Manson. Nor is there closure, because nothing will bring back Jay, or any of the victims sent to their graves 48 years ago.’’
Five members of the Manson Family remain in prison, with some expected to renew calls for parole.