Charles Manson has been called many things over the years.
“American icon of evil,” “cult leader,” and “chieftain of hate” are among the words he’s been associated with.
Manson’s bizarre personality, his disdain for authority and his willingness to engage the press are often the highlights of his story, which has been told countless times by the entertainment industry.
Advertisement
With the focus almost always on Manson as a persona — instead of the crimes he helped to carry out — it’s easy to forget, given the passage of nearly five decades, that it was a string of brutal murders by Manson and his followers that earned the convicted killer his nicknames and an infamous page in the history books.
Bettmann via Getty Images
Bettmann via Getty Images
Reuters Photographer / Reuters
Advertisement
Bettmann via Getty Images
Bettmann via Getty Images
John Malmin via Getty Images
Advertisement
Bettmann via Getty Images
Handout . / Reuters
Advertisement