Reply #79: From August 4, 1970-- [View All]

[KansDem]

Nixon Calls Manson Guilty; Attorneys Move a Mistrial

President Nixon may have freed Charles Manson-not by an act of executive clemency, but by one of errant stupidity.

Defense attorneys for Manson, Leslie Van Houten, and Susan Atkins-who face charges of murder stemming from the mass killings last August of actress Sharon Tate and six other persons-moved for a mistrial yesterday after learning that Nixon had said that Manson was "guilty, directly or indirectly, of eight murders without reason."

........

Although the jury in the Manson trial is kept sequestered in a hotel and denied access to newspaper accounts of the trials, attorneys expressed concern that they might learn of the President's remarks through visits from relatives.

--more--
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1970/8/4/nixon-calls-manson-guilty-attorneys-move/

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JFWQ-zB-Sys/TDPkjYqi3BI/AAAAAAAAAGE/mh0-Z_ALbWs/S220/Manson+guilty+Nixon+declares+-+newspaper.png

I believe Manson held up this edition of the LA Times for the jurists to see, in essence, prejudicing them. As I recall, a circus atmosphere permeated the trial...