Lasting Legacy of Charles Manson: A Look at the Influence on History

How the contributions of Charles Manson continue to shape the world today.

Charles Manson was an American cult leader and criminal who headed the Manson Family in the late 1960s. Though not directly involved in the physical acts, he was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in 1971 for the deaths of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate, committed by his followers in July and August 1969. The prosecution argued that Manson's ideology and influence constituted an overt act of conspiracy, leading to the gruesome murders.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

June 1970: Rolling Stone Makes Manson Cover Story

In June 1970, Rolling Stone made Charles Manson their cover story, further cementing his notoriety in popular culture. Bernardine Dohrn and James Mason made statements that impacted the legacy of Manson.

1972: Death penalty ruled unconstitutional

In 1972, the California Supreme Court ruled that the state's death penalty statutes was unconstitutional, and Manson was re-sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

January 1973: Influence on Star Wars Characters' Names

Between January 1973 and March 1976, screenplays for Star Wars (1977) used the names Luke and Annikin Starkiller, influenced by Charles Manson's reputation, but the surname was later changed to Skywalker.

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March 1976: Influence on Star Wars Characters' Names

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1977: Luke Starkiller Name Change

In 1977, after production of the movie Star Wars began, George Lucas changed the surname of the character Luke Starkiller to Skywalker, as the original name had unpleasant connotations to Charles Manson

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1987: Original Manson interview deemed "unbelievable"

In 1987, the interview with Manson was considered "so unbelievable" that only seven minutes of it had originally been broadcast on Today, for which it had been recorded.

1989: Crispin Glover Covered "Never Say 'Never' to Always"

In 1989, Crispin Glover covered "Never Say 'Never' to Always" on his album The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution=Let It Be.

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1993: Guns N' Roses Records Manson Song

In 1993, American rock band Guns N' Roses recorded Charles Manson's "Look at Your Game, Girl", included as an unlisted 13th track on their album "The Spaghetti Incident?".

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February 14, 2002: Alleged Manson Will Dated February 14, 2002

Charles Manson's pen-pal, Michael Channels, claimed to have a Manson will dated February 14, 2002, which left Manson's entire estate and Manson's body to Channels.

September 5, 2007: "The Mind of Manson" airs on MSNBC

On September 5, 2007, MSNBC aired The Mind of Manson, a complete version of a 1987 interview at California's San Quentin State Prison.

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2007: Lucas Explains Name Change

In 2007, George Lucas explained that the character Luke Starkiller's name was changed to Skywalker in the movie Star Wars because people on set were confusing the name with someone like Charles Manson and the connotations were unpleasant.

2012: CNN Runs DNA Match

In 2012, CNN ran a DNA match to see if Freeman and Roberts were related to each other and found that they were not. According to CNN, two prior attempts to DNA-match Roberts with genetic material from Manson failed, but the results were reportedly contaminated.

January 2017: Another Alleged Manson Will Surfaces

Charles Manson's friend Ben Gurecki claimed to have a Manson will dated January 2017, which gives the estate and Manson's body to Matthew Roberts, another alleged son of Manson.

November 19, 2017: Charles Manson Death

On November 19, 2017, Charles Manson died. He was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family.

March 12, 2018: Court Decides in Favor of Freeman Regarding Manson's Body

On March 12, 2018, the Kern County Superior Court in California decided in favor of Jason Freeman in regard to Charles Manson's body.

March 17, 2018: Funeral Service Held for Manson

On March 17, 2018, a funeral service was held for Charles Manson, after which Jason Freeman had his remains cremated and scattered on a California hillside.

2023: Re-Analysis Suggests Manson Misdiagnosed

In 2023, a re-analysis of Charles Manson's psychological state suggested that he may have been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and proposed that he had bipolar disorder and psychopathy instead.