Not two weeks after the arrest of Manson et al. on Deer Creek Road in Ventura County the group again found itself under assault from law enforcement. It was May 2, 1968, and this time the incident occurred and the end of Summit Trail, an isolated location high up at the end of a series of narrow, twisting roads running off of Topanga Canyon Road. The group began staying at this property, which at the time included a vacant house, after their time at the so-called “Spiral Staircase House” behind the Topanga Shopping Center at the intersection of Topanga Canyon Road and the Pacific Coast Highway (California Highway 1).
According to the Sheriff’s report of the incident:
“Acting of information from above informant that above house is being used as a crash pad by narcotics addicts and runaways, writer, Sgt. Salerno, Deps. Rodriguez and Redddy with the assistance of car 103…. proceeded to above location.
“Upon arrival writer observed suspect Manson standing in front of the house.
“Writer identified himself by displaying his badge and stated Sheriff narcotic officers were conducting a narcotic investigation. Suspect Manson replied OK, come in the house, I’ll show you around. Upon entering suspect # 2 was observed lying on a bed, suspects #3, #4, and #5 observed milling about. Approximately five (5) minutes later suspects # 6 and #7 entered with Sgt. Salerno who stated they were in a bus adjacent to the house.
“After exiting the house with all the suspects in our presence, writer observed and heard suspect Manson lean over to suspect Hall and in a low voice said, “Go sit in the chair,” writer observed suspect Hall walk to a chair and sit down. Writer requested suspect suspect [sic] Hall to stand up, to which he complied. A check of the chair revealed evidence held items #1, #2, #3 and #4 on the ground under the chair.
“Writer then displayed the evidence to all suspects and stated, “Do you know what this is and does it belong to any of you”, all suspects remained silent. Suspects were then placed under arrest for possession of marijuana and advised of their rights per SH-AD-477. Each suspect stated he understood his rights.
“Suspect Manson stated that the marijuana could belong to anyone, as a lot of people stay here. Suspects were transported to Malibu Sheriff’s Station by car 103…. and booked on above charge.
“During booking procedure item # 5 was found in left front shirt pocket of suspect Hall. During booking procedures Matron Shirle Smith found item # 6 on suspect Good’s person. Suspect Manson was again shown the evidence, item # 1, #2, #3 and #4 and asked if it was his, suspect stated, no it could belong to anyone of many people. When asked if he smoked marijuana, suspect stated yes. When asked why he told suspect Hall to sit in the chair, evidence recovered, suspect stated I was trying to keep the guys out of your way, so you could do your job.
“Suspect Hall was again shown the evidence #1, #2, #3 and #4, and asked if it was his, suspect stated, No. When asked if he had seen the evidence before suspect stated, I might have, but I can’t say for sure. When asked if he smoked marijuana, suspect stated, yes, but I haven’t for approximately five (5) days. When shown the driver license, evidence held item # 2, and asked if it was his, suspect stated no. When advised that the picture on the license looked like him, suspect stated OK it’s mine, it’s a false name and license.
“When asked how it got into evidence held item #2, suspect stated I don’t know. When again asked about the evidence, suspect stated I don’t know a thing about the marijuana.
“Suspect Good was again shown evidence held item # 1, #2, #3 and #4 and asked if it was hers, suspect stated, no, never saw it before. When asked if she smoked marijuana suspect stated, yes, but I don’t like it. When asked where she got the capsules [item # 6], suspect stated from Gary Hinman in Topanga.
“Suspect #4, #5, #6 and #7, refused to make any statements.
“Evidence transported to L.A. Sheriff’s crime lab for analysis.
“The facts of this cased will be presented to Santa Monica branch of the Los Angeles District Attorney Office for their consideration towards a complaint.”
Evidence seized during this raid included a quart of marijuana seeds in a glass bottle (item # 1), a little over two ounces of pot (items # 2, 3, and 4), three pills (item # 6), and some driver's licenses of questionable authenticity.
Taken into custody and detained at the Malibu station of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office were Charles Manson (suspect # 1), Sandra Good (suspect # 2), Bruce Vann Hall (suspect # 3), Robert Earl Murray (suspect # 4), Louis Covell (suspect # 5), Bruce Davis (suspect # 6), and Diane Bluestein (Diane Lake, suspect # 7)).
Below, the Sheriff's report of the incident at the end of Summit Trail:
Charles Manson was charged with violation of Section 11530 of the Health and Safety Code, possession of marijuana. On his booking record his address was listed as "transient 'bus'" and his occupation was listed as "musician -- unemployed."
Manson's booking record for possession of marijuana
* * *
Summit Trail Today
The location of the bust on Summit Trail was another of the destinations for the 2016 MF Blog Tour. The end of the trail is still remote and rustic today; it was easy to get lost in the tight maze of "trails" and we made a couple of wrong turns before we finally arrived at the correct spot. When we got there an older gentleman was leaning on the fence in front of the house at the end of the trail, almost as if he was expecting us. After we identified ourselves and our purpose for being there, the man, Rick (who has owned the house since 1974 and been a denizen of Topanga Canyon for several years longer), gladly visited with us and told us stories of indeterminate veracity that he had heard of "the Family's" presence in the area. He was an interesting living link with the past!
Google Maps view of Summit Trail
A wider view shows the relationship of the end
of Summit Trail (arrow) to Gary Hinman's
residence at 964 Old Topanga Canyon Road.
The end of Summit Trail
MF bloggers talk with Rick, the owner of the house
at the end of Summit Trail since 1974.
According to Rick, "the Family's" black bus was
parked on this slight rise adjacent to the house,
about where the orange car is.
The house at the end of Summit Trail
That's fascinating that there's a pre-homicide police report directly linking Hinman to the family as a source for psychedelic drugs...about how many miles away was the end of Summit from Hinman's house? It's cool going to these places vicariously!
ReplyDeleteWhere'd you get the documents? I've held those things. Do you know where they really came from? Someone just gave them to you, correct...?
ReplyDeleteThose documents have been passed around for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteA rare Bratt sighting! Whoa!
ReplyDeleteWOW, we have come a long way in the evolution of a "Progressive" society.
ReplyDeleteTOBAY, in Los Angeles, California YOU can have a marijuana GROW house with an empty "pool" breeding Mosquitos. The police will ONLY smile at you for mentioning the "house" and YOU must call a special number and complain to the City's "empty pool" department, so THEY can come and drop some nasty tablets into the stagnent pool water to KILL the Zika carrying mosquitos.
Of course, this could be because NOW even your local padre does weed while Politicians and Law Enforcement pop pills. Can't wait till Hilary and Wild Bill get back in the White House. Maybe she'll make it OK for old men to have young chicks.
OH! for those who like to put 2 n 2 together n THINK: What IF the words Helter Skelter were NEVER written in the LaBianca house ? ONLY "Death to Pigs."
ReplyDeleteDamn that's a cute little house and solar panels, living the dream.
ReplyDeleteI believe Salerno was involved in arresting the Night Stalker, the Hillside Stranglers, and investigated the drowning of Natalie Wood.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how they constantly kept the police cross hairs on them on a nearly bi-weekly basis. I'm sure they will claim that they were "being cool", but most of the time police show up is due to a citizen complaint. Why would the cops be driving down these remote roads?
Didn't see a cop in my neighborhood for over a decade. Then some heroin junkies occupied a vacant (foreclosed) home, and the cops were there weekly for over a year. They would have screaming matches in the street and actually seemed shocked with the arrival of several black and white SUVs.
The only thing is how many of his "tales" were true- Manson etc were locked up by 1974 and I have been told personally by 9 people including celebrities that they were about to attend that party at Cielo that never was real to begin with.
ReplyDeleteYes Col, the stories were of "indeterminate veracity" but still an interesting part of the Manson mythos. Missed you!
ReplyDeleteThe guy on Summit also told someone that the government watches him using cameras planted in the trees. Hence George's "indeterminate veracity" disclaimer. The guy was entertaining, though...
ReplyDeleteFARFLUNG has a very good point. Most police interactions involve "complaint calls" which are many times motivated by piss-ant neighbors. In the Manson Family / Topanga Canyon case, them thar hills, at the time, were filled with "red-necks." That's why IF the O.J. trial had been held in the Santa Monica Courthouse ( where juries are selected from Topanga and Woodland Hills ), HE probably would have been strung-up right outside the courthouse.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, the conflict between Manson and the "PIGS" was brewing significantly. What surprises ME is how the Manson Family actually got all the way to the Malibu Sheriff's Sub-station - ALIVE !
Of topic by a ways, finished watching the lost manson girls tonight on TV,fair to middling in my opinion.I'd rather see documentaries with original footage and where was Bruce or did I blink?
ReplyDeleteBoy- what is that?
ReplyDeleteRobert- I see you are still talking to yourself, how are those copyrights?
Patty- did you? I wonder
Matty- why man? why?
Col it's the same as Mansons lost girls only spelt differently, my brain went all cunty booby due to lack of sleep :-o
DeleteTotally missed you but Patty understands you had a way more important woman to hang out with. Happy anniversary!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was only the one day. Matt and Alisa banned me on the others
ReplyDeleteNext year we'll stay at your house okay?
ReplyDeleteOn Wednesday The Col's had their anniversary
ReplyDeleteThursday was the Col's b-day (we weren't invited)
Friday we were in Independence
Saturday we were in Death Valley
Sunday Col was in Montecito
Leslie Van Houton told the parole board that IF Manson told her to, she would have KILLED "babies."
ReplyDeleteObviously, that is WHY they paroled HER. Finally, a MANSON Girl gave the "establishment" exactly the words they want the world to hear. The Manson Gang may NOW be considered more dangerous and powerful than even the My Li Massacre Military Machine.
Now, I think I know what Clem told the "establishment" to get out of prison.
LA Sheriffs are facing the law as we speak......maybe the decades of corruption will be changed to different corruption....
ReplyDeleteThey'll have to put them in PHU or their anuses will be brutally corrupted.
ReplyDeleteActually COL, I'm presently discussing the SALE of my MANSON archive and copyrights.
ReplyDeletePatty hopes congratulations are not premature Robert. :)
ReplyDeleteRobert- in order to sell you must have. And hey thanks in advance for offering to show it to me after all the love over the years. Sweet of ya.
ReplyDeleteMatt
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling my life story how does it end?
OMG Col - didn't you get a copy of MY book "Death to Pigs" ?
ReplyDeleteIt contains the written transcriptions of the Family members talking (mostly on film)
IT is "copywritten." As well "MANSON" and "Inside the MANSON Gang" are copywritten."
YES Patty; Congrats are premature, but it's the thought I appreciate.
JUST THINK - IF instead, in early 1968, Charles Manson drove the Black Bus, filled with HIS "Family," down to the US Army recruitment center and THEY all joined-up, in March of 68 THEY all could have done the My Lie Massacre in Vietnam and become great American HEROS instead of ZEROS.
ReplyDeleteAND Charlie could have likely became a beloved American U.S. President.
So I think the lesson here is: IF you're going to KILL women and babies, make sure THEY are Commie Gooks.
Me Lei was the product of Westmoreland's war of attrition (imagine a leader coming up with that stratgey?), which made life cheap. McNamera (so dedicated that Nam is in his name) kept tabs on the body count. LBJ was convinced that nations could catch comma-nism (in LBJ's parlance).
ReplyDeleteThere were a couple good guys; Ron Ridenhour, who broke the story to congress, and Hugh Thompson, the chopper pilot that stopped the massacre.
Calley did some house arrest, while Medina did little more. Nixon pardoned them because we are a country of laws and not men (cough, total BS, cough, cough).
Ridenhour and Thompson were rewarded with early deaths, while Calley and Medina are still amongst the living. So life's fair.
FARFLUNG: In all my years I NEVER thought of Bobby Mc'Nam'era association.
ReplyDeleteHow fitting as HE was the architect of the VietNAM war.
I thought I read that the My lie Massacre Gang originally got "metals" for their actions at MY Lie
Robert Hendrickson said...
ReplyDeleteLeslie Van Houton told the parole board that IF Manson told her to, she would have KILLED "babies."
I've seen it said that way by a few people but actually, it's not as cut and dried as that. What she actually said was "I've been asked that a lot, and to honestly answer that question, I don't know. I think I would have if he'd have said."
So she's not entirely clear or categorical about that one. What's interestingly hasn't been picked up on is her categorically stating that she would have killed herself if Charlie had told her to ¬> "To answer that honestly, yeah. Yeah."
Maybe I'm splitting hairs. But I can afford to because mine grows pretty quickly.
Now, I think I know what Clem told the "establishment" to get out of prison
According to Ed Sanders in his "1993 full of typos and missing sentences Nemesis publishing" revision of "The Family," Burton Katz had a lot more to do with that event than many seem to be aware of or remember.....
OH! for those who like to put 2 n 2 together n THINK: What IF the words Helter Skelter were NEVER written in the LaBianca house ? ONLY "Death to Pigs."
Well, I doubt it would have bumped up or dented sales of the White album ! And Bugliosi & Gentry would probably have beaten you to the punch with that book title.
As interesting a question as it is, I don't think it would have truly altered matters a great deal. Susan Atkins didn't know what had been written at the LaBiancas but it didn't stop her mouthing off about Helter skelter and who the principal characters were in the murders or who led it. Brooks Poston didn't have a clue as to the Family's involvement in TLB but he still told the police about helter skelter. It may have taken longer to connect but there is so much inter-connectivity among the various people and aspects of this case that things still would have come together in one way or another. Pretty much as they did.
Young people often find it hard to keep their mouths closed, especially when involved in fantastical and dramatic events.
Can someone PLEASE esplain to me WHY a greatly successful millionare movie producer would have ANY interest in an old "worn-out" DEAD subject like this Manson stuff ?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRobert:
ReplyDeleteMy guess would be they are interested in the idea of producing a movie about "an old, worn-out, dead subject, like this Manson stuff"?
What do you think?
Hippiedoll! Xoxoxoxo
ReplyDeletePanamint Patty!!
ReplyDelete:oD
(waving)...
(waving)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMatt!
ReplyDelete(waving)
:oD