Helter Skelter

            I don’t believe Charles Manson and his infamous Family needs any introduction. As far as serial killers go, Manson is probably the most recognizable name. Even people who know little to nothing of famous killers have heard of Manson. To get a deeper look at the story of the Tate/LaBianca murders and the Manson cult, Helter Skelter: The True Story of The Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry is an enlightening read. It should also come with a wall length corkboard and push pins for the reader to construct a visual diagram of all the information packed into this volume.

            Multiple books, interviews, documentaries, blogs, and movies tackle the story of Manson, his followers, and the murders. Each source offers a different perspective on the topic. This book is authored by the DA that prosecuted Manson and the three girls involved in the murders. It comes as no surprise then that the book is structured from the perspective of building a case against Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel, and Van Houten. The details of the crime scenes, pieces of interviews conducted by the authorities regarding the case, and the details of the court proceedings are thoroughly explored. For anyone interested in the case, this book is a wealth of knowledge. It’s downright addicting as the reader gets to help construct, through Bugliosi, how the murders occurred and the warped lives of the Manson Family.

            This flood of information is a much as a negative as it a positive. The list of names at the beginning of the book is only one small sample of how much knowledge the reader is going to drown in. There is no way to keep track of everyone. At some point, the reader will have to figure out who this person is that just took the stand. The name is familiar, but there were dozens of people mentioned by this point in the book. The time frame the Tate’s maid washed down the windows with vinegar is discussed. The backgrounds of each person involved, including such players as the two inmates that Susan Atkins told she was involved in the murders. Dates, times, and police slip-ups; all documented and ready to be waded through by the reader. This is a book that begs for the reader to take notes while reading it, or utilize their giant cork board. Simply put, this is not a lite, easy read.

The work includes the thoughts and assumptions of Bugliosi, which adds a nice personal touch to the text. Bugliosi isn’t overly preachy; however he does make it clear what he thinks of the people he encounters during the investigation/case. This made the book a bit more accessible. Instead of a dry reading of a case file, this had tid-bits that provided a tone for the story. His impressions, especially of the girls, and his openness about the often problematic way the police handled the investigation gave a sense of informalness to an otherwise formal recount of the events. At the same time, Bugliosi is obviously presenting his take on the case. The exact happenings at Spahn Ranch and the Family dynamics are his interpretations. The book therefore lacks any other viewpoints (interviews aside) besides Bugliosi and the facts of the matter.

As to the psychos of the book, Manson and his murderous followers, the text gives interesting insight into these people. Backgrounds, interviews, and outrageous courtroom antics are all recorded.  The Family’s vision of the future by a Helter Skelter race war is pieced together throughout Bugliosi’s investigation. As far as hooking the reader, this is the real kicker. The murders were savage, but the bizarre scheme that motivated them still captures the public. Although the book isn’t able to take us into the cult fully, Bugliosi does a fantastic job bringing up all the relevant disturbing activities/fantasies of the Family. It’s chilling.

I’m torn on how much I want to delve into my thoughts on Manson and the Family for this blog post. Honestly, I could keep a blog devoted solely to the topic and never run out of things to write. However, I also want to keep my focus on the book I’m reviewing and not wander too much to the overall topic behind it. So, I’ll briefly mention a couple of my own curiosities on the case and what Begliosi mentions of them.

There is much debate over whether Manson’s followers were mindless slaves to his will or willing participants. I got the impression from this book that Begliosi believed Manson had completely brainwashed his followers, yet they already had the potential for violence before meeting him. To a degree, I feel the same. However, I don’t think Manson is the mastermind that he is usually portrayed as. He strikes me a brilliant manipulator, but I think the people that surrounded him helped to build the Helter Skelter fantasy. I think they weren’t so much slaves as they were under the influence of a frenzied group delusion with Manson as the messiah.

Was the evidence of the trail enough to prove guilt or did the media hype of the murders and the defendants lead to a guilty verdict without enough substantial proof? This question has always fascinated me. I feel there is enough evidence to prove the family is involved in the murders, but besides a few fingerprints of one suspect and the gun (which could have been in anyone from the ranch’s possession), much of the case was built on testimony. It’s hard to sift out the truth from the lies in this case.

The book does give a through explanation as to how the DA built their case. A lot more evidence was used than I previously thought, but I’m still not fully convinced it was enough on its own. The ineffective attorneys for the defense and the outbursts of the defendants were an evident perk for the DA’s case. I still wonder if Manson and the others had run a better defense, if Bugliosi would have gotten the conviction. Several times in the text, Bugliosi points out instances, like Krenwinkel denying to give a writing sample, that could have lead to the defendants freed of charges or at least reduced sentences.

Overall, this is a book for those that want to get a deeper view into the Manson murders. It’s a long read, but one packed with interesting information on the case that will keep pages turning. Devote some time to this one. Prepare to be inspired to do more research and spend a chunk of your life boarding on obsession over the case… and don’t forget the big board to plaster all your notes on.