By Paul Mountjoy, Communities Digital News
CALIFORNIA, November 19, 2014 — It appears that notorious 80-year-old convicted serial killer Charles Manson has found his soul mate. Press releases indicate Manson is scheduled to be married next month to a young woman named Afton Burton. Burton, age 25, was re-named "Star" by Manson when she was 16 years old.
Is this potential union really the result of May-December love? Unlikely. It is more likely a strategic move by Manson and his best friend and family member, Craig Hammond. Manson is a complex and highly enigmatic personality. However, after having long conversations with Manson and developing a friendship with Hammond, I have some clear insight into Manson and his motivations.
In 2009, I had more than 3 1/2 hours of conversations with Manson. I also became friends with 63-year-old Hammond, who Manson calls "Grey Wolf." At that time, Burton and Hammond were living together close to the California Corcoran State Prison for Men so they could visit Manson as frequently as allowed.
Manson has a habit of nick-naming those close to him. "Star" and "Grey Wolf" are both names Manson picked.
Hammond and Manson met after the infamous "Manson Family Murders," so Hammond had no involvement and little knowledge of the bloody murders in August of 1969 which viciously and savagely took the lives of seven people in their homes in a two night spree.
After Manson's conviction, Hammond remained close to Manson. He has visited Manson and played chess with him for 45 years. Afton Burton is no more than a pawn in their ongoing game of chess.
Burton lived in Illinois with her parents and had written Manson many letters. Manson replied to those letter. When Burton was 16, Manson instructed her to move in with Hammond at his California residence. According to Hammond, Manson instructed Burton to "take care of him," meaning Hammond.
In 2009 when this author was speaking to Manson, Hammond and Burton, phone calls placed to Hammond would be frequently answered by Burton.
On one particular morning, Manson placed a call directly to this writer's office phone without the benefit of the prison communication system. The call came at 3 a.m. Manson explained the call by saying he had access to a guard's office, but a week later, every news source in America reported Manson was caught with an illegal cell phone.
After four years of quiet, Manson again made the news in concert with his friend Hammond. Press reported that Hammond was arrested for sneaking a watch type of cell phone into the prison. It appears that Hammond provided the means for Manson's cell phone in 2009.
As a result of the arrest, Hammond was banned from Corcoran and from all communication with Manson. This spelled trouble for Manson, as Hammond was Manson's lifeline to the outside world.
Additionally, Hammond and Burton were working hard for Manson's release, but this effort ground to a halt when Hammond was arrested.
What to do?
Manson is crafty. If he marries Burton, she will have spousal access to Manson, although his sentence precludes them from conjugal visits. Burton will access records kept from view for close to half a century and she can provide Manson a direct line to Hammond and vice versa.
Burton has given her life to Manson, so from her standpoint, she may be in love with Manson. However, last year when the marriage first became tabloid fodder, Manson steadfastly denied the possibility.
Love? Unlikely. Strategy is a better explanation.
Paul mountjoy is a Virginia based psychotherapist
27 comments:
The old kook always had a way with the young ladies. Some things should be appreciated and not understood. She's not scaling anybody's fence with a buck knife in her waistband. Yet.
In 2014, we can send a spaceship to Mars, put all the world in an Apple Ipad, and map the human genome. But nobody knows for sure how the female mind works.
Do you think there is really a mind in there? Or just a bee buzzing around in a jar?
Manson is a serial killer now? Rolling of the eyes....
"If he marries Burton, she will have spousal access to Manson, although his sentence precludes them from conjugal visits. "
I always assumed Manson's actions in prison and the subsequent disciplinary infractions were the reason he couldn't
receive conjugal visits if married.
What is the difference between Manson's and Tex's sentence in regards to visits? It seems to me this is a prison policy and not a sentencing law issue.
x, due to successful lobbying by Doris Tate the law was changed. No prisoners in CA convicted of murder can have conjugal visits.
Doris Tate Rocks
Actually WE do know how the "female" mind and the male mind works.
The male mind mostly uses the Logical / Analytical (sense) side of the brain and the female mostly uses the emotional
(no-sense) side. Combine the TWO as one and you have "no sense makes sense".
Of course, "no-sense" (emotional) will make you a better lover and "sense" will get you a better job.
It amazes me how after half a decade WE still need MANSON to illustrate a "dark" side to humanity.
Like WAR, cops taking down un-armed Black men, Priests molesting our children, Bankers screwing us out of our money, Politicians constantly lying to us - isn't enough.
You know, I always felt that women were a little bit weak on logic and rational thinking.....that they acted out and didn't think of things in the long term.
But I never said that out loud because I didn't want them to freak out on me.
The Male Brain/ http://funnyjunk.com/funny_gifs/2817187/The/
Classic truth
My experience has been, when not in an emotionally stressful situation, women make better decisions than men (Manson Girls not withstanding).
Thx Matt.
I agree x. Minus stress I trust female judgement more. In a burning building, follow me!
i agree with this Mountjoy character, its definitely a convenience thing even if Star does feel that she is in love.
Anybody think the writer is just linking Manson to his past history? Or, is it really Charlie’s MO yet again playing out.
Of course Manson has a history of using women for various reasons, only one of which was to keep certain men around.
I just wonder if that is truly the case here or did the writer just arrive at this based on the past.
If true… it’s kind of surreal watching Manson still weaving his web after all this time.
Girls go to Mars,
To buy more candy bars,
Boys go to Jupiter,
To become more stupidter.
Wolf was not in contact with Manson for the past 45 years. In fact, it was Michael Channels who re-united them after decades.
Recently, Manson said that he did not even know Wolf from back then. He spoke a lot of bad shit on Wolf to Ben Gurecki as well, calling him Dead Rat.
This article is shit, sorry. Just some other psychologist trying to use their textbook diagnoses to explain Manson.
Some of what is written in this thread is pretty amazing. Oh well. Goodnight. I have to go get all emotional and illogical now.
What business is of anyone but them
"Follow ME (Matt) out of the burning flames."
Sounds like we got another "Cult Leader" in town OR someone who likes to get trampled.
AND the Pope, not to be out-done by the likes of Obama, just announced HE will now let "Pets" (dogs & cats) without the proper papers into Heaven. Still NO Jews or pet snakes, but dogs and cats are welcome. Only problem is: Who's going to clean-up all the shit ? Seems in Heaven NO body has to do any work.
YES Matt and Jenn, I'm still laughing !
I agree with the bird who said, rather awkwardly, What business is of anyone but them.
Love is like a basketball team without any natural scorers. You take your points wherever you get your points, turnovers, foul shots or put backs. I'm a Sixers fan.
If Star and Charlie found one another, who knows what they feel but them?
I've been thinking about the Black man who was killed for selling cigarettes without paying the TAX.
What business was it of the local police ? Doesn't that come under the jurisdiction of the (Federal) ATF agency?
For instance, if HE (the killee) was selling a counterfeit DVD on the same street in the same city, that would come under the sole jurisdiction of the FBI, NOT any state or local law enforcement agency.
NOW if there was a STATE tax or local tax as well as a Federal tax on the subject cigarette that might better explain why HE had to die.
BUT if that is the case, why doesn't the certain governments go after ALL the folks "selling" their stuff on eBay and Amazon, etc? There is "income" tax, both Federal and State due. "Sales" tax, Business tax, etc. We're talking gazillions of $$$ here.
Cause, as any AWARE person could figure out, the cops were "picking" on the gentle BLACK giant. Just as the Southern WHITE cops were "picking" on the Black men in the Southern States. Just as the Nazi's started their Nazibation in Germany by "picking on the Jews. Just as the cops all over America were "picking" on "Hippie" looking kids in the 1960s. Just as the cops were "picking" on the Anti-Vietnam War demonstrators in the 1960s.
So, IF you can't figure out what ALL this has to do with Charles Manson, maybe it's time to light-up one of those funny cigarettes.
New York City has its own cigarette tax of $1.50, this is in addition to the NY state tax of $4.35. The feds come in when you cross state lines intending to sell cigarettes illegally. Also, New York City recently raised the minimum age to purchase cigarettes up to 21, and of course an ID check is required.
The feds get $1.01 per pack.
An article I read somewhere said that there was a noticeable increase in newlyweds reserving 12/13/14 for weddings so as to have an easy to remember anniversary date.
Again, Austin Ann beat me to it. Mr.Mountjoy is a psychotherapist yet can't differentiate between "serial" and "spree" killings. OK, he's not a criminologist but anyone with a cursory interest in the criminal mind should be able to make the distinction.
Star is HOT.I want her to shave my head and carve an x on my forehead.
I met Afton or Star. All I can say is - extreme mental issues. She comes across shy, meek, wanting to do good. The truth is so much different. Cross her and you'll catch her wrath, which isn't too scary but she will send others to accomplish what she wants.
I have acquired letters from someone linked to Graywolf and Star, and the letters state what their plans are when Star is given legal rights to Manson and his belongings. It's all a scam. Manson uses them and they use him. It's all a sick game.
Ruby, my thinking about her has been along those lines too.
Post a Comment