Page "Sharon Tate" Paragraph 49

On June 15, 1970, Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel, and Van Houten were tried while Watson remained in Texas fighting extradition.

The details of the trial were reported throughout the world.

Kasabian was a reliable and consistent witness.

She testified about a hippie group and its leader Charles Manson, a thwarted musician who believed that a race war was imminent.

He believed that the music of The Beatles warned of the coming holocaust, which he referred to as " Helter Skelter ", after the Beatles song, and also believed that only the " chosen ", his " family ", would survive.

Briefly associated with Terry Melcher, Manson had believed that Melcher would foster his musical aspirations ; when this did not occur, Manson felt infuriated and betrayed.

Manson believed that he would bring about the race war by having his followers slaughter wealthy people in their homes and cast suspicion on militant groups such as the Black Panthers.

Manson expected these groups to win the race war, and predicted that they would make him their leader when they realized they were too inept to govern the new society.

He had been to 10050 Cielo Drive, and although he knew that Melcher had moved, the house represented his rejection by the show business establishment.

He instructed Watson, Atkins, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian to go to the house " and kill everyone there ", while he remained in their camp at Spahn's Movie Ranch.