Coroner’s Evidence In Manson Trial

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32386, 27 August 1970, Page 15

Coroner’s Evidence In Manson Trial

<N.Z. Preti Assn.—Copyright) LOS ANGELES. August 26. Sharon Tate was dying from stab wounds when her killers hanged her by the neck with a nylon rope slung over a ceiling beam, a coroner told the Tate murder trial today. Dr Thomas Noguchi said that Miss Tate was probably in a standing position when her full body weight was lifted by the rope and she was “suspended for perhaps not too long a period during the dying process.” Dr Noguchi, on the stand for the third day, said that the cause of death of the actress was multiple stab wounds and pathological examination did not show the usual signs of strangulation. He did not say if death could have been caused by hanging had Miss Tate not been stabbed. Dr Noguchi was testifying at the trial of Charles Manson, aged 35, and three girl followers of his hippie cult accused of murdering Miss Tate and six others last August He said "it appears, from the abrasions . . . that the suspension occurred during the dying process.” Miss Tate’s body was found at the murder scene linked to that of her former fiance, a Hollywood hairdresser, Jay Sebring, by a white rope tied round both their necks. 16 Wounds In earlier testimony. Dr Noguchi said that Miss Tate died from 16 stab wounds, five of which were potentially fatal. He did not say today whether the hanging was potentially fatal and could have contributed to Miss Tate’s death. Dr Noguchi, cross-ques-tioned by Mr Paul Fitzgerald, lawyer for Patricia Krenwinkel, another accused, said that Miss Abigail Folger had not taken enough of the drug M.D.A. or “super-speed” to suggest she intended committing suicide. He said, in his experience, suicide usually took 10 times the amounts of 2.4 milligrams Per hundred found in Miss Fol ger’s urine. Y-sterday. Dr Noguchi said that both Miss Folger and her boy friend, Mr Voiteck Frykowslri, had taken M.D.A. shortly before their murder.

'■> As Dr Noguchi explained medical tests used to establish the time of death. Manson appeared to fall asleep, his head bending forward and his long hair dropping in front of his face. Two of the accused girls. Susan Atkins and Leslie Van Houten, appeared in new hair styles. Atkins had a jaunty blue and white candy stripe ribbon tied at the top of her long hair and Van Houten had clipped her long hair and waved it in fuzzy curls.