Chaos. The Truth behind the Manson Murders by Tom O’Neill

An excellent true crime book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kept me hooked since page one. I learned about this book by chance when I clicked on a suggested video on YouTube. It was a Konkrete channel interview with Tom O’Neill. It was so interesting I ordered the book right away. While I waited for the book to be delivered I found more interviews, one on Spotify in Joe Rogan’s podcast. 

The book. The book isn’t a recollection of the gory, appalling actions of the Manson family though it includes a quick overview of the events (their activities before the murders, the murders, police investigation and the trial) in chapter one. The rest of the book dissects the investigation, the trial and much more. It raises serious questions about the scrupulousness, truthfulness and morality of the people and organisations involved. Here some interesting data I would like to highlight: 

People who knew Manson and family before the murders and who probably [influenced/manipulated] them: 

David Smith - opened the Haight-Ashbury free medical clinic HAFMC to provide health care to hippies. His research involved injecting rats (or mice) with amphetamines and LSD and keeping them in confinement. The animals would turn violent and kill each other. Questions are raised about Smith running similar tests on the Manson family and other hippies. 

Roger Smith – Manson’s parole officer. He was a Berkley school of criminology, doctoral student: researching the links between drug use and violent behaviour. At Haight clinic he carried out a study on amphetamines and their role in the violent behaviour of Haight-Ashbury hippies. The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health 9 (NIMH) a CIA funding front. He used participant-observation.  

Louis Jolyon West – part of the CIA's MK Ultra, doing Mind Control experiments with hypnosis, LSD and other drugs. His aim was to make people commit actions against their moral values then forget what they had done. Involved in JFK assassination case, ran an assessment on Jack Ruby which left Ruby insane. He was given an office at the Haight clinic and set up a hippy pad. Instructed students to join hippie communities and use drugs. O’Neill couldn’t prove he had met Manson but just his presence at the clinic at the same time Manson was attending consultation there is suspicious. 

Acquaintances: 

Terry Melcher - owned a record company. Friends with Denis Wilson (The Beach Boys). Told Manson about the possibility for record contract but then backed off. O'Neill found that he lied at the trial, saying that he hadn't seen Manson after the murders (to confirm Bugliosi's story that one of the motives for the killings was to scare Melcher.) From interviews O’Neill confirmed that Melcher had been at Manson's ranch 3 times after the murders. O’Neill relates other inaccuracies (or lies) by witnesses at the trial.

The Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi – well respected and famous for having convicted Manson and the family and most importantly for having written Helter Skelter, and account of the Manson case which is one of the best selling true crime books in history. O’Neill uncovers several lies and manipulations he had done to fabricate his narrative for the trial. Most of it is related in Bugliosi’s book. To confirm Bugliosi as a corrupt, liar and a dangerous person, the author further reveals some incidents in Bugliosi’s past. The Police: O’Neill proves incompetence (or manipulation) by several police officers which indicated maybe a cover up. 

Links to Government Organisations 

COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) ran by the FBI and CHAOS, an illegal surveillance programme run by the CIA – both programmes had the aim to fight, silence or destroy leftist movements in the USA. For example, the hippie movement which promoted Peace or anti-war ideas. Both programmes where created in 1967 the same year Manson was released from prison from a previous crime. Both programmes had agents working in the same areas where Manson operated. With the evidence he uncovered O’Neill drew several connections to the Manson case. 

The MK Ultra a secrete programme by the CIA which ran since the 50s aimed to run experiments to mind control people. O’Neill links the MK Ultra with the Manson case via Louis Jolyon West.