Nixon 'Slips,' Refers to Manson As Guilty Criticizes Coverage of Trial Attorneys Ask for Mistrial by Ken W
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Nixon 'Slips,' Refers to Manson as Guilty Criticizes Coverage of Trial Attorneys Ask for Mistrial "="(11111 By Ken W. Clawson By Jack V. Fox Washington Post Staff Writer United Press International DENVER, Aug. 3—Presi- hers of his communal clan LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3— cross-examination of Linda dent Nixon, speaking to for eight murders, including The defense submitted a Kasabian, the state's key wit- newsmen today on the im- Actress Sharon Tate. motion for a mistrial in the ness against the 35-year-old portance of respecting the Within an hour after the Tate-La Bianca murder case Manson and three young President's remarks, one of judicial process, said hippie the defense lawyers in Los today on the basis that Presi- women codefendants. leader Charles Manson was Angeles moved for a mis- dent Nixon's remarks about The news of President "guilty, dircetly or indirect- trial. the guilt of Charles Manson Nixon's remarks, however, ly, of eight murders." The President brought up and his followers were pre- produced a volley of vocifer- White House aides accom- the Manson case while dis- judicial. ous protest In the corridors panying Mr. Nixon to a cussing how the news media SuperiorCourtJudge' outside the room where the meeting of the Law Enforce- often makes criminals ap- Charles H. Older, in a whis- pear "glamorous" and pered conversation with all trial is under way. ment Administration here the attorneys at the trial at As soon as the afternoon quickly indicated that the judges, prosecutors, and po- session began, the lawyers lice "villains" even though his bench, outside the hear- President had not intended ing of the jury, did not take assembled at the bench and to presume Manson's guilt. the latter are upholding the there was a furious whis- judicial system. action on the motion. Manson is currently on trial The sensational murder pered conference. in Los Angeles with mem- See HOST )ENT, A8, Col. I trial continued quietly with See MANSON, A8, Col. 5 Nixon Views Manson as Guilty PRESIDENT, From Al vision. Then Mr. Nixon intention" was to show the A friendly crowd of about added: harm that could be done to 3,000 greeted him at the air- He said that during the "Here is a man who was the court system by media port and the reception got putting "dramatic focus" on weekend, he watched •the guilty, directly or indirect- bigger and better during the movie, "Chisum," starring ly, of eight murders without a trial such as Manson's. reason. Later Ziegler added: "I nearly seven-mile motor- John Wayne, at the Western think I've retractel the sen- cade to the federal building "Here is a man, yet, who, - White House. Since then, tence." downtown. He got out of his the President said, he had as far as the coverage was concerned, appeared to be Reporters still seemed un- limousine three times to pondered why Western mov- convinced that Mr. Nixon, ies continue to draw good rather a glamorous figure, a shake hands, sign auto- glamorous figure to the who is a lawyer, could have audiences and remain popu- made a flat statement of graphs and give away presi- lar movie fare. young people whom he had brought into his operations, Manson's guilt while his dential pens. "One of the reasons is and also, another thing that trial was going on. In light His stopover was to meet perhaps, and this may be a was noted was the fact that of this remarkable presiden- with state LEAA planners square observation," the tial declaration, they asked two lawyers in the case— from all 50 states and to seek President said, "the good who could read any of the at a subsequent briefing guys come out ahead in stories could tell—were guilt with Attorney General John their aid in pressuring Con- Westerns; the bad guys lawyers who were, as anyone N. Mitchell what the Presi- gress to enact 12 anticrime lose." of the most outrageous, con- dent's lawyer thought about bills that Mr. Nixon pro- Mr. Nixon said he meant temptuous action in the it. posed more than a year ago. no criticism of the news courtroom, and who were "I don't think It is neces- In remarks just before the media, but he was con- ordered to jail overnight by sary for the Attorney Gen- meeting, the President said cerned that attitudes of the the judge, seem to be more eral to comment on a case it would be time "to get new young - seemed to be influ- the oppressed, and the judge proceeding through the state batters at the plate" if Con- enced by crime reporting seemed to be the villain." courts," Mitchell replied. gress doesn't move on his that tends to "glorify and Within half an hour of the Then he added, "I don't crime package. The congres- make heroes out of those President's remarks, White believe the President made sional batting average on who engage in criminal ac- House press secretary Ron- a., a charge or implied one." crime legislation so far, he tivities." ald L. Ziegler called re- Mr. Nixon's apparent slip said, "is very poor." During his ten days on porters into session to "clari- of the tongue came after a A pocket of dissidents the west coast, the Presi- fy" the President's remarks. rousing entry into Denver, ,chanted during the Presi- dent said the Manson trial Ziegler started out saying a stopoved en route to Wash- dent's remarks but a federal was on page one of the that Mr. Nixon was really re- ington after his second pro- building audience of more newspapers and received ferring to "alleged charges" longed stay on the West than 10,000 drowned them prominent attention on tele- against Manson and that "his Coast. out with shouts of approval. 8 Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1970 THE WASHINGTON POST I Mistrial Sought by Manson On Basis of Nixon's Remarks MANSON, From AI Irving Kanarek, counsel fendant is past the point of It was learned that Judge for Manson, told newsmen a fair trial." Older had been shown in his in the corridor outside the Mrs. Kasabian admitted on chambers an informal ac- court that "for the President the stand under cross-exami- count of President Nixon's to make a remark of this nation today that she did not comments to newsmen at try to flee that Tate murder Denver. type is incredible. One won- scene, that she never tried Deputy District Attorney ders if the President has to tell police what happen. Vincent Bugllosi pointed out lost his cool." ed and that she accom- PAUL FITZGERALD that jury was locked up Another defense attorney, panied the "Manson fam- . presses witness nightly with no access to Ronald Hughes, said Mr. ily" on a second savage newspaper, magazine, or Nixon was a "contemptuous foray the next night. television or radio accounts figure to make remarks The 21-year-old key state "begged with my eyes and and therefore could not be about a trial in progress." witness conceded that she my heart" not to go on the influenced by whatever re- Hughes said after the mo- left her child with what she second night but that she marks the President may tion for mistrial was filed thought was a "band of was afraid of what Manson have made. the "judge asked us to hold murderers" and never con- and his cult might do if she The President told news- it until we have verified tacted authorities until she ref used. men after arriving from a press copy of Nixon's re- was personally charged with Other defense attorneys vacation in Southern Cali- seven slayings. fornia that .Manson "is guil- marks." were to pick up the cross ty, directly or indirectly, of Hughes, who is defending She spoke in a voice al- examination of Mrs. Kasa- eight murders without rea- co-defendant Leslie Van most inaudible at times but bian later and it was son." Presidential Press Sec- Houton, expanded on his re/- she never broke under a expected she would remain retary Ronald Ziegler hasti- marks with the comment pounding interrogation by on the stand until Tuesday. ly called reporters together that "when the President of defense lawyer Paul Fitz- Fitzgerald raised his voice later to tell them Mr. the United States finds it gerald as he took her step by almost to a shout at times as Nixon's "obvious intention necessary to comment on the step over the Tate-LaBianca he inquired of Mrs. Kasa- was to refer to the alleged guilt or innocence of a de- killings. bian's behavior after the charges." fendant, it indicates that de- Mrs. Kasabian said she Tate slayings. .