A former member of Charles Manson’s “family” testified Thursday that she only stayed in the cult because Manson had threatened to have her killed if she tried to leave.
Catherine Share testified for fellow former cult member Leslie Van Houten, who is serving a life sentence for her double murder during the cult’s infamous 1969 rampage in Los Angeles that resulted in the deaths of seven people. Share testified in hopes that Van Houten would get released under a new California law that reevaluates life sentences for crimes committed by adults under the age of 23, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Share claimed that Manson had gotten another member of the “family” to threaten to kill her if she left. The male cultist allegedly told her that if she fled, he would find her, tie her to a car, and drag her back to the ranch. She also claimed Manson had severely beaten her on one occasion.
Share, who was responsible for convincing Van Houten to join the cult, said it was very possible that Van Houten was also forced to stay in the cult under threat of violence. (RELATED: Will Charles Manson Be The First ‘Celebrity’ Death Of 2017?)
Nevertheless, Share admitted that other members were permitted to leave without harm, and she could not verify whether Van Houten had ever actually been threatened.
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