TATE MURDERS Indictments Of Seven Likely

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32166, 9 December 1969, Page 17

TATE MURDERS Indictments Of Seven Likely

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) LOS ANGELES, December 8. The grand jury hearing into the murder of the actress, Sharon Tate, and four of her friends is expected to end in Los Angeles today with indictments against seven members of a hippie commune.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has linked the killings at Miss Tate’s home on August 9 with the murders of the supermarket owner, Leho la Bianca, aged 44, and his wife, Rosemary, aged 38, on August 10. At today’s session 16 persons, three identified as fingerprint experts, will give evidence.

and an over-all indictment of conspiracy to commit murder in both crimes, naming 35-year-old Charles Manson and six others. Manson is leader of the hippie cult known to his followers as “God” and "Satan.” The 23-member grand jury usually follows a District Attorney’s requests because it hears arguments only for the prosecution and not for the defence. ' MisS Atkins, a member of the cult, may be offered immunity to give evidence against her former companions if they come to trial. The Deputy District Attorney, Mr Vincent Bugliosi, said after Friday’s grand jury session- that his office was considering the question of immunity? • He refused to say who the Immunity would be for,- but police have said they needed Miss Atkin’s evidence because, she was present at both murder scenes.

Seven testified on Friday, the first day of the hearing. According to the District Attorney, the testimony of the fingerprint experts will be directed at the alleged involvement in the murders of Charles Watson, aged 24. Watson is now held in a McKinney, Texas, gaol on a fugitive warrant to answer seven charges of niurder in California. He has said that he will fight extradition. : According to a statement by the Los Angeles police chief, Mr Edward Davis, Watson was said to be at the scene of the Tate and La Blanca murders by Miss Susan Atkins, aged 21, who has been the District Attorney’s chief witness before the grand jury. The District Attorney is I seeking murder indictments

Reports of Friday's secret testimony before the grand jury have said that Miss Atkins was ordered to kill Miss Tate, who was-eight and a half months pregnant, but refuged.— __