The Closing Argument...

The first day she was at Spahn Ranch, July 4, she did not meet Charles Manson, but she did meet Charles "Tex" Watson and she had sex with him that night. The next day, July the fifth, 1969, she and Gypsy and Mary Brunner left the Spahn Ranch to go to Charles Melton's truck for the purpose of having Linda steal $5,000 of Melton's money, which Linda did. When she returned to Spahn Ranch, she believes she gave the $5,000 to Leslie Van Houten, although she did not know for sure Leslie was the person whom she gave the money to. In any event, she never saw the $5,000 again, and she did not receive any benefit from the $5,000. Now, let's face it. Linda stole $5,000. But let's also face the fact that the theft of the $5,000 took place after Linda had been exposed to the members of Charles Manson's Family.

DEFENDANT MANSON: At least a day and a half.
MR. BUGLIOSI: Also, let's face the fact that her state of mind-and I am not covering up for the fact that she stole the $5,000-let's face the fact that her state of mind was not the state of mind typically of someone stealing money, because she didn't steal it for herself She gave the entire $5,000 to other members of the Family and did not profit in any fashion from it. She testified that she took the $5,000 to help Charlie Manson go to the desert. I don't know why they needed $5,000 to get there, but apparently Linda felt they did, or the Family felt they did.

The first time Linda met Manson, Charlie was with several girls, Gypsy, Brenda McCann, and Snake.

DEFENDANT MANSON: They were not allowed to testify either.

MR. BUGLIOSI: Manson asked Linda why she came to live at the ranch. She told him that her husband had rejected her and that Gypsy told her he would welcome her as part of the Family. Manson then felt Linda's legs, and she testified that she got the impression he thought they were okay. The next day Manson made love to Linda in a cove in back of the ranch, and he told her she had a father hang-up. Linda was impressed by this because no one ever told her this before, and she said she did have a hang-up. She disliked her stepfather very much.

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