New Peacock documentary releases phone calls with Charles Manson

In 2017, cult leader Charles Manson died in prison. A documentary series is now publishing phone calls with him. He talks about previous murders.

Seven years after the death of Charles Manson, a documentary series with previously unpublished recordings of telephone conversations with the former cult leader brings new details to light. In the series “Making Manson” on the streaming service Peacock, Manson hints at previous murders in old recordings during his imprisonment.

There is a “whole part of my life that no one knows,” says Manson. He lived in Mexico for a while, stole cars and got into situations that were beyond him. He was involved in several murders there. “I left a few dead people on the beach,” the recording says.

Manson becomes a cult leader

Manson was a petty criminal with a long criminal record when he gathered followers as a charismatic leader in San Francisco’s hippie scene in 1967. The “Manson Family” settled in Southern California. In August 1969, he incited a handful of his followers to commit a series of brutal murders in Los Angeles. One of the victims was the heavily pregnant actress Sharon Tate, wife of director Roman Polanski. Four guests were brutally murdered with her in her villa near Los Angeles. The following night, the killers rampaged through the home of businessmen Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

Peacock will show the Manson series from November

Manson was not at the crime scene himself, but was convicted as the mastermind of the crimes after a long, spectacular murder trial. Manson and his closest followers received the death penalty. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment after the death penalty was suspended in California. Manson died of natural causes in November 2017 at age 83, the Bureau of Prisons said at the time.

In the three-part documentary series (from November 19th), former supporters and fellow prisoners have their say. Peacock has published excerpts in advance. According to the Streaming Services Manson said in conversations about his life behind bars over a period of 20 years.

You can see the English trailer for the series here:

Text: dpa/ Editor: JN