◆ SpookStack

FD,350 (Rev. 7-16-63) wm 163 See ccs. —= Takes Ist- Degree Verdict Calmly; Sanity Quiz Set BY ED MEAGHER Times Staff Writer Charles (Tex) Watson, 25, Tuesday , was found guilty on seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to murder in the first de- gree in the Tate-La Bianca homi- | cides. ' Watson, whose deterioration from a strapping, handsome high schoo! , hero and university fraternity man | to a drug-using. skeletal member of a murder cult was detailed during ’ the 10-week trial. accepted the ver- dict without visible emation. As Clerk John Pannas read the (Mount cllpeleg in Space Below) “Watson Found Guilty of Tate-La Bianca Slayings. Saha tury' S. ‘decision ay have hinged on the testimony oO medical experts—I11 psychiatrists. two neut- ologists and a clinical psychologist. ‘ They were divided evenly as witt- nesses for the state and defense. In general, the defense experts testi- fied that Watson had suffered brain damage and psychosis at the time of the niurders. And the prosecution's medical experts, in most aspects, testified to the opposite. Dep.Dist. Attys. Vincent Te-Buglics ost and btephen Kay said that the =e ard trial represented a landmark acse ip Southern California’in respect to its presentation of psychiatric testimoe- ny. "The jury was confronted by sq phisticated, complex issues and hai to come to mental grips with them," Bugliosi said. « "The jurors took careful notes and deliberated long and hard,” he said, long. eight-count verdict in Superinr "and they returned a just verdict.? Tudge Adolph Alexander's court, Watson seemed to be listening but not reallv comprehending the im- port of the six-man, six woman ju- ry's judgment. Two phases of Watson's trial re- main. The phase to consider his plea of innocence by reason of insanity will begin Friday, Tf he is found sane, the jury will | then deliberate his penalty—either j life imprisonment or death. Confessed Murders Watson's guilt was not in question after he took the witness stand and ‘confessed the murders, The degree 1of his guilt, however. was left out- | standing for ihe jury to decide. And in finding for first Instead of | eazond. degree murder the jurors re | jected Watson's bizatre defense that he had been reduced to a mindless. yobot killer by cult Jeader Charles _ Manson through brainwashing abet- {edi be ingestion of allucinogenic rarugs. : SS Bugliosi added that he never be- lieved the jury would return a sec- ond-degree murder verdict. "I felt it would be either firat degree. or 2 hong jury.” he said. a The jurors. after four-and-a-half | days of deliberation, notified court bailiffs at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday that they had reached a verdict. But it took fime to round up the attorneys and the judge, who Was at- tending a funeral. It was not until 4:10 pum, that’ Alexander asked jury foreman Carlos Rodriguez, a labor | union ‘official. whether the jury had reached a verdict. » “We have. sour honor,” Redri ighez replied. : Watson's trial Tecessarily Was -anticlimactic to that of Manson. and ‘three female members of his: "fain- ily . for the same murders. .They ‘were convicted of first- degre’ mut: der and sentenced to death fast ! April fajowing a chaotic nine-arid- one-half-mopth vial ==". | l | (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) I-3 La Angeles Times Los Angeles, Calif. Date: 10/13/71 Edition: Wednesday Final Author: Editor: Classification: Title: Character: Submitting Office: Log Angeles or (_] Being Investigated ». | Y OG ™ 26 SEARCHED INDEXED. SERIALIZEO SAT FILED, OCT a 31971 FBI— LOS ANGELES —— pt