Charles 'Tex' Watson (California Department of Corrections) |
IONE, Calif. (KTLA) -- Charles "Tex" Watson, jailed for his role in the Manson family Tate-LaBianca killings of 1969, appeared before a parole board on Wednesday and was denied release for the 16th time.
The Texas-born Watson, who has been described as a former "right hand man" of criminal mastermind Charles Manson, has become a born-again Christian during his time in prison.
On August 8, 1969, Watson and three female accomplices went to the Los Angeles home of actress Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski, and murdered her and four guests at the house. Polanski was not home at the time.
The following night, Watson and his accomplices killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca at their Los Angeles home.
Watson was convicted in 1971 of seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
His death sentence was commuted to life in prison when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1972.
Family members of Watson's murder victims attended the hearing on Wednesday at Mule Creek State Prison in rural Ione, California, where he is held on a sentence of life with the possibility of parole, said Terry Thornton, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Charles Manson remains in prison after being denied parole 11 times before. His next parole hearing could occur in 2012.
During his time in prison, Watson has married, divorced and fathered four children during conjugal visits.
He also wrote a book titled "Manson's Right Hand Man Speaks Out!" and started a prison ministry.
His ministry's website says that, "His participation in the 1969 Manson murders is a part of history that [Watson] deeply regrets."
The website says he was raised in Copeville, Texas, north of Dallas, and headed to California in 1967 after dropping out of college.
A brief biographical sketch on the site said Watson believed Manson "offered utopia, but in reality, he had a destructive world view, which Charles ended up believing in and acting upon.
Watson claims he was conflicted during the murders, but used drugs to suppress his feelings.
"I remember conflicting feelings would arise in a flash, but were overcome because Manson's law was greater than my conscience," he says.
Watson has argued that he is a changed man who has been a model prisoner and no longer is a danger to the public.
He has been housed at Mule Creek State Prison since 1993.
Watson will be eligible for parole again in 2016.
The Texas-born Watson, who has been described as a former "right hand man" of criminal mastermind Charles Manson, has become a born-again Christian during his time in prison.
On August 8, 1969, Watson and three female accomplices went to the Los Angeles home of actress Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski, and murdered her and four guests at the house. Polanski was not home at the time.
The following night, Watson and his accomplices killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca at their Los Angeles home.
Watson was convicted in 1971 of seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
His death sentence was commuted to life in prison when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1972.
Family members of Watson's murder victims attended the hearing on Wednesday at Mule Creek State Prison in rural Ione, California, where he is held on a sentence of life with the possibility of parole, said Terry Thornton, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Charles Manson remains in prison after being denied parole 11 times before. His next parole hearing could occur in 2012.
During his time in prison, Watson has married, divorced and fathered four children during conjugal visits.
He also wrote a book titled "Manson's Right Hand Man Speaks Out!" and started a prison ministry.
His ministry's website says that, "His participation in the 1969 Manson murders is a part of history that [Watson] deeply regrets."
The website says he was raised in Copeville, Texas, north of Dallas, and headed to California in 1967 after dropping out of college.
A brief biographical sketch on the site said Watson believed Manson "offered utopia, but in reality, he had a destructive world view, which Charles ended up believing in and acting upon.
Watson claims he was conflicted during the murders, but used drugs to suppress his feelings.
"I remember conflicting feelings would arise in a flash, but were overcome because Manson's law was greater than my conscience," he says.
Watson has argued that he is a changed man who has been a model prisoner and no longer is a danger to the public.
He has been housed at Mule Creek State Prison since 1993.
Watson will be eligible for parole again in 2016.
