Judge Older

As we all know Charles H. Older was the judge that presided over the Tate LaBianca trial.  He was assigned to the trial after Manson filed an affidavit of prejudice against Judge William Keene, who was originally assigned, and then removed from hearing the case.

Press Photo      $17.99

Charles Older, born September 29, 1917, was a Los Angeles area native, graduating from Beverly Hills High School where he was student body president.  He then went on to graduate from UCLA with a major in political science.  After college he went to US Navy flight training class and passed first in his class at Pensacola NAS April, 1940.  He served with Marine Fighting Squadron One.  By 1941 he had resigned his commission with the Marines to join the American Volunteer Group (AVG), a private military contractor, which was  hired by the Chinese nationalist government to combat the Japanese invading China before the United States was actively involved in WWII.

Autographed Fighter Pilot Photo       $599.00

The Flying Tigers, as they were known, consisted of three squadrons of 20 planes apiece.  The pilots made about three times as much as what they would have made in the military.  Older was the flight leader of AVG's 3rd Squadron's, the Hell's Angels, whose first battle was on December 23, 1941 where he shot down two Japanese planes, on Christmas day of that same year he shot down three more becoming an Ace with the Flying Tigers.  Before the Flying Tigers were officially disbanded July 4, 1942 he would shoot down five more Japanese planes becoming a double Ace.

Older then joined the Army Air Corps where he served from February 24, 1943 until January 14, 1946 during the US involvement in WWII.  August 10, 1950 he re-enlisted in the Air Force and served in Korea until January 6, 1951.   While serving in these two branches of the military he flew 18 more aerial victories earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the British Distinguished Flying Cross and several Chinese Air Force Medals.  Between and after his military service he had enrolled in USC Law School and got his law degree in 1952.

Law Degree         $174.99

Older first worked for the law firm Arnold and Zack, from 1952 to 1954.  He was a partner in Keatinge and Older from 1954 until 1962 and in the firm Older, Hanh, Cazier and Hoegh from 1962 until 1968.  Okay, that last firm sounds a little like a take-off on Dewey, Cheatham and Howe!

 

Older was appointed to the bench in 1967 by Ronald Reagan, then governor of California.  He served as a judge until his retirement in 1987.  He died June 17, 2006 after complications from a fall at his West Hollywood home.

The Judge's Robe and Gavel        $650.00



After Older's retirement from the bench he apparently took up painting, which brings us to the point of this post.  Loyal blog reader Trilby clued us into a number of things belonging to Judge Older that were up for bid on Ebay.  I noted that every listing for the judge's things included the statement that he was the presiding judge in the Charles Manson trial.  Not all the items were listed by the same seller, there were multiple sellers.  Imagine all of his time in the military as an ace fighter pilot and 20 years on the bench and it comes down to defining him by one very high profile trial!

Oil Painting untitled        $650.00

Watercolor "The Foundry"        $99.50