Now, fifty years later, the horror that shook L.A. those bloody nights of August 1969 has faded. But the effects are with us today. Leaving a door unlocked is unimaginable. Expensive alarm systems are commonplace, and school children are accompanied daily on their journey to and from school. Manson and his “family” can take dubious credit for all of these societal adjustments. And maybe these adjustments to changing times were inevitable.

But what is not inevitable, and what is stunning and frightening, is that the Manson playbook is as alive and well in 2019 as it was in 1969. Exhibit ‘A’ is Keith Raniere, who today stands trial for sex trafficking in New York. He is accused of luring young woman in to his Nxivm cult via techniques eerily similar to Manson’s. Using shaming methods employed by Manson fifty years ago, Raniere stripped young woman of their identities and possessions, even branding them to exert ultimate control over them.

Employing a twist on Manson’s playbook, Raniere used woman, including actress Allison Mack (best known for her role in ‘Smallville’), to recruit other young women in to the fold as his “slaves.” Raniere promised the new recruits “enlightenment” and “self-awareness,” if they would just do as he wanted.

Raniere does not stand accused of murder or intending to ignite a race war; his interests seem to have been limited to constructing a modern-day harem and to extracting money from his victims. But his intent in using the Manson playbook is not the point. The point is he used it and, in 2019, it worked.

As a mother of a daughter, I find this shocking and frightening. In order to stop the Manson playbook from continuing to be used, we must first identify it and name it, and recognize that our daughters can be vulnerable to it. So, I say, in 2019, let’s make our own promise: we will keep a watchful eye out for fledgling Mansons or Ranieres, and we will not allow our daughters to fall victim to their false promises. After fifty years, it’s high time to retire the Manson playbook.

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The deceased baby was found in his swing, the switch turned to ‘on’. The responders couldn’t even administer CPR because his limbs were cold and his toes crusty. The child had not been bathed or changed or fed in over a week. Maggots were apparent.

Jerry and I discussed the prosecution of Sterling’s father for first degree murder (his mother will be tried in a later trial). We talked about possible defenses of mental illness. The prosecution’s opening, however, focused on Sterling being a “blessing” and his parents having failed in their responsibility to this vulnerable baby. The defense attorney urged the jury not to “rush to judgement.” Jerry and I analyzed all of the arguments in real time.

As tragic as Sterling’s fate is, it is made even more tragic because he is not alone. Not even close. The Child Protective Service Agency estimates that 4 to 5 children die every day in the U.S. as a result of abuse and neglect!

Every year, 3.6 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children. Studies (and basic common sense) indicate that there is a significant underreporting of child mistreatment. Many people will be reluctant to report on loved ones, even if another loved one is in danger. Or it may be that a parent or parents need mental or emotional care, if, for example, they are suffering from post-partum depression.

The first step towards positive change is to keep recognizing child endangerment or abuse for the tragedy that it is. If you see a child in danger, do something. Make a call to The National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453 or 1-800-4-A-CHILD). It really may be the phone call that saves a child’s life.

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Those killings changed American culture. People who didn’t have home alarms quickly bought as fancy a system as they could afford. Mothers began walking their children to school. And parents and children alike had trouble falling asleep at night. Charlie Manson and his “children” robbed America of its innocence.

Nearly fifty years later, Charles “Tex” Watson, the man who carried out Manson’s murderous plans, was asked by a parole board commissioner, “What made a God-fearing, churchgoing young man from Texas move to California and commit the worst killings this state has ever seen?” The commissioner’s question was asked in a thunderous tone. He was met with silence from the prisoner and straight-on stares from family members of the victims. I could understand the silence. What answer could there be?

As the only reporter allowed in that parole hearing in California, I brought into the room fifteen years of national television crime reporting and, as a former federal prosecutor, hundreds of federal prosecutions. I am proud to be a third-generation federal prosecutor, after my father and grandfather before me. That same grandfather was also a judge, and my father had also served as an FBI agent. I have had a lifetime of law enforcement exposure and experience, and yet I was as bewildered as the parole commissioner by the crimes.

This mystery is part of the reason behind this reexamination of arguably the most notorious crime in American history. How could it have happened? I also wanted to explore the process by which justice was done. The Christian tradition, of which I am a part, has justice at its center, a consequence of the belief that God will ultimately put all things right. We should take seriously the process by which our governments work to see justice accomplished, and this book—as well as subsequent books in this series—attempts to do just that.

As a result of my legal experience, I knew when embarking on this quest what law enforcement agents on the scene in 1969 would have or should have been looking for, which made my discoveries of what they actually did all the more shocking. I knew what the lead prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, was attempting to do with his various motions and strategies, and how successful he was or was not. (Long after the Manson case, I got to know Bugliosi when he asked for assistance in writing a book about the Supreme Court.) And my television crime reporting experience was invaluable as I researched, wrote, and analyzed the defense’s case and the various alternative theories about the crime.

Investigative journalist and true crime author Caitlin Rother brought thirty years of research and storytelling experience, as well as a breadth of knowledge about the criminal justice system, addiction, and mental illness. We agreed to approach the “known” sources—including the criminal case files—with fresh eyes. But we also set out with the goal of uncovering new details that would enhance readers’ overall understanding of the case. I believe the book does just that, offering new and illuminating material that will not only surprise but possibly even astonish the reader.

In the end, I’m not sure we will ever be able to answer definitively the question of why. But I do believe HUNTING CHARLES MANSON brings us closer than ever before. Thank you for reading.

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The case is Wisconsin v. George Burch, where the defendant stands trial for the brutal murder of a young mother, Nicole Vanderheyden, in May of 2016. His DNA was found on the body of the strangled victim and her body was found in a ditch three miles away from home. Burch says, yes, he was there but he didn’t commit the murder; he only helped move the body after Nicole’s boyfriend, Douglas Detrie, had knocked him out and, while he was unconscious, killed Nicole. When he woke up it was the boyfriend who forced him to move Nicole’s body to a ditch three miles from her home. So, Burch claims he’s guilty of moving her body, but not of killing her.

But the boyfriend, Detrie, was wearing a FitBit at the time of the murder and the prosecution said it shows that he hadn’t taken the number of steps that would have been necessary for him to complete the murder.  The judge allowed FitBit step-counting data to be introduced to the jury. Great news for the prosecution. They can prove the boyfriend didn’t do it, so Burch must have done it and he’s just pointing the finger. It all makes it make Burch look even more guilty!

And then the prosecution bungles it. Instead of bringing in a top notch technical expert on FitBit and the technology behind it, they brought in law enforcement agents who had to admit on cross examination that they had no technical experience and could not explain how the FitBit app works. One agent said his work in analyzing the FitBit data was “mostly accurate.”  The same agent also said that there were errors in his analysis and the FitBit did not record some of the boyfriend’s steps and some of his hands movements while he was with him during an official interview.

So that begs the question of how many errors that same FItBit may have made on the night of the murder. And how do we know for sure the boyfriend was even wearing the FitBit?

We are talking about a murder case here!  “Mostly accurate” won’t cut it in the courtroom. Seeing your law enforcement witness squirm under cross examination is not a good look if you’re prosecuting a case.

For years now, “The CSI effect” has meant that prosecutors have been expected to present scientific evidence in a trial: FitBit analysis would fit right in with blood spatter and cell phone ping analysis. But to make their case, prosecutors have to put on real technical experts who are qualified as such. Otherwise, beware; they may just be planting reasonable doubt with the very evidence that’s meant to seal the case.

You can view Lis Wiehl every Tuesday at 3pm on LawAndCrime.com talking about cases currently in the news.

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In 2009, Ward said in a 911 recorded call, “I just shot my wife. She’s dead. She’s done. I’m sorry. ” Ward later told investigators that his wife pulled the trigger while he was trying to wrestle the gun away from her.
But at trial the prosecution made a huge blunder in commenting repeatedly — including in their closing argument — that Ward had not said a word at his trial; had not taken the stand… that he had remained silence. The inference, of course, being that because he remained silent he must be guilty.

The jury found him guilty and he’s served four years in prison until a judge overturned the conviction based on this basic mistake law. Mind you, the judge isn’t saying that Ward didn’t kill his wife and isn’t guilty of the 2nd degree murder charge he’s been convicted of. The judge is saying the process wasn’t fair and that Ward deserves a new trial.

And so that has begun. A new jury pool is being searched to find a jury to try Mr. Ward again. And this time, please, let the man just hold his peace. Let the evidence speak for itself.

What do you think?

You can view Lis Wiehl every Tuesday at 3pm on LawAndCrime.com talking about cases currently in the news.

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Should be a great opportunity for book clubs – just log onto Facebook at 1pm on Tuesday and have all your questions about the book ready. I hope to connect with you then.

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My father was an FBI agent. When I was growing up, he stressed to my brother and me his core belief that all men are created equal and that black Americans deserved the same rights as white Americans. He was passionate about seeing justice done. When I was 4, he took me to a civil rights march in Dallas, where he was stationed. We were two of just a handful of white faces in the crowd. I was proud of my dad that day and I’m proud of him today. It’s hardly a coincidence that I became a lawyer and federal prosecutor.

This week, President Trump equated the Neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville — terrorists who murdered a woman — with the peaceful counter-protesters. He has ripped the scab off an ugly wound and then poured salt on the wound. He is willfully dividing Americans against one another. His words and actions are, quite simply, immoral.

I have two children, one in college, the other a recent graduate. I have tried to teach them the same core American values my father taught me. I am proud to say they share my outrage. This transcends politics. This is about our shared humanity and the future of our country. A house divided will not stand.

My dad is 80 and his commitment to justice remains strong and true. When I spoke to him yesterday I could hear, under his consternation, a deep sadness at the president’s behavior. This week I cried for my country. But my sadness is turning into a renewed commitment to the values my father taught me when he brought me to that civil rights march in Dallas. I will work to make this great nation the shining beacon it had been, under presidents of both parties, before Trump took office.

I believe in this country and in our better angels. Thank you, Dad. I love you more than words can say.

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Black Mask Studios announced this week that it will debut CALEXIT in July.

And maybe it’s not so surprising. The real-life Calexit is probably the most vital and viable secession movement in the country today. According to a Reuters poll taken in late January 2017, right after Trump’s inauguration, fully a third of Californians support seceding from the union. That’s a pretty remarkable number, stark evidence of just how deeply divided our country is.

In the series — written by Matteo Pizzolo and illustrated by Amancay Nahuelpan — California leaves the union rather than be ruled by a tyrannical president.

Early in the story, the president orders the deportation of all immigrants. In response California declares itself a sanctuary state. Rebellion ensues. In an attempt to regain control, the president declares martial law. Things escalate from there.

While comic books are pure entertainment, Pizzoli has another goal: “We’re looking to spark a dialogue with fans, press and retailers about what’s happening, both in the real world and in the fictional world of CALEXIT.” Indeed the launch tour is titled “CALEXIT: Comics Change The World Tour”. In addition, each issue of CALEXIT will include real-world info on grassroots organizing for 2018 elections.

If you find all of this as fascinating and troubling and adrenaline-inducing as I do, check out The Separatists.  In my third Erica Sparks action-thriller I take this premise to its limits. I had a blast writing the book, and I hope you have as many thrills reading it.

Now, who wants to come with me to Comic-Con?

The post Comical Secession? appeared first on Lis Wiehl.

And then, of course, there’s the small matter of the Civil War, which was started by the North after 11 pro-slavery Southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. The North may have won the war but its consequences continue to play out in our national politics, with the South being the most conservative region on the country.

Indeed, threats to secede from the United States are woven into our country’s history. Partisans have long argued that secession should be a constitutional right. The courts have disagreed and in 1869, in Texas v. White, the Supreme Court ruled unilateral secession unconstitutional. But that hasn’t stopped anyone.

During the Obama presidency secession movements thrived from New Hampshire to Alaska; hatred of the federal government being their prime driver. With Trump’s election, the secession fervor in the nation has moved from the right to the left. Cascadia, a wished-for nation made up of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, has many thousands of supporters, as does Calexit, a secessionist movement in California.

Why did I choose North Dakota as the epicenter of my imaginary secession? Because it’s one of the wealthiest states in the union at the moment, home to vast reserves of natural gas and oil, and it sends far more money per-capita to Washington than it receives back. This seemed like fertile territory for an anti-government movement.

Erica Sparks goes out to North Dakota to report on the movement. Upon arriving in Bismarck, she receives a desperate phone call from a woman who claims to have ominous information on the leaders of the movement. Erica goes to meet the woman and finds her brutally murdered, her throat cut from ear to ear. As she searches for the murderer, Erica is drawn deeper and deeper into a sick web — and into the twisted minds of a couple of fascinating if chilling villains. I don’t want to give anything away, but the stakes in this book are very high. For Erica — and for our nation.

I hope you’ll join Erica for this chilling ride. I’m curious as to what you make of secessionist movements. Do you believe a state should able to unilaterally leave the union? Why do you think secession passions have cooled since Trump’s election? Would you favor your state leaving the union? If so, why?

I’m very excited about The Separatists. I hope you’ll read it, enjoy it, and then join our discussion.

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I’m thrilled that I have a book signing booth at BEA (Book Expo America) this year. I’ll be handing out sneak peek copies of “The Separatists”, which will be released Tuesday, June 27th. It’s the next installment in The Newsmakers thriller series. I hope to see you there!

Book Expo America 2017 – The Separatists Book Signing
Friday, June 2 at 11 AM – 12 PM
Jacob K. Javitz Center

Tickets: www.bookexpoamerica.com/Register

More info: Facebook

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