Ronald W. Hughes (March 16, 1935 - November 1970) is an American lawyer representing Charles Manson.
Hughes disappeared on a camping trip for a ten-day break from the Tate-LaBianca murder trial in November 1970. His corpse was discovered in March 1971, but the cause of his death can not be determined. At least one member of the Manson family claimed that Hughes was killed by the family as an act of revenge. No one was charged in connection with his death.
Tate-LaBianca percemban pembunuhan
Hughes was one of the first lawyer to meet Charles Manson in December 1969. Initially, he signed as Manson's lawyer, but was replaced by Irving Kanarek two weeks before the trial.
He eventually represents Leslie Van Houten in the Tate-LaBianca murder trial. Hughes failed the exam three times before graduation and never tried the case. Hughes, a conservative, is called a "hippie lawyer" because of his deep knowledge of the hippie subculture. That knowledge sometimes serves clients well. She was able to ask questions about Linda Kasabian's credibility by asking about hallucinogenic drugs, her belief in ESP, her thoughts that she might be a magician, and she had a "thrill" from Manson.
As a lawyer for Van Houten's defendant, Hughes tried to separate his client's interests from Charles Manson, a move that angered Manson and possibly caused Hughes to lose his life. He hopes to show that Van Houten is not acting independently, but is fully controlled in his actions by Manson. This strategy goes against Manson's plan to allow other family members to engage in crime, freeing him of all involvement.
Twenty-two weeks into the trial, including the explosions and strange behavior of Manson and the other defendants, the prosecutor rested. The lawyer for the defendant shocked the courtroom by announcing that the defense was also resting. Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten immediately shouted that they wanted to testify. Instructions Per Manson, the women say they want to testify for their own killing and that Manson has nothing to do with evil. Hughes objected and stood against Manson's tactics and stated, "I refuse to take part in any process in which I am forced to push clients out of the window." However, after Manson made a statement to court, he then advised the women not to testify. Judge Charles Older then ordered a ten-day recess to allow the lawyers to prepare for their final argument. Hughes then told a reporter that he was confident that he could guarantee the release of Van Houten.
Video Ronald Hughes
Disappearance
On November 27, 1970, Hughes decided to take a camping trip in a remote area near Sespe Hot Springs in Ventura County, California. According to James Forsher and Lauren Elder, the two friends who accompanied Hughes on the way, the heavy rains that caused flash floods in the area made their Volkswagen muddy. Forsher and Elder took the exit, while Hughes decided to stay in the area until 29 November. As the rain continued, the desert area was evacuated. Hughes was last seen by three people camped on the morning of November 28th. They then told investigators that Hughes was alone at the time and had stopped to talk to them. Hughes also appears unharmed and is in an area far from the waters of the flood. When the trial resumed on November 30, Hughes failed to perform. Due to continuous rainstorms, the Ventura County sheriff had to wait two days before the search was launched.
On December 2, the Judge Lama ordered the trial to continue and appoint a new lawyer, Maxwell Keith, to Van Houten. The women angrily demanded the shooting of all their lawyers, and asked to reopen the defense. The Old Judge refused the request. By the end of the week, Hughes had been missing for two weeks. When the court was re-established, Manson and the women created a nuisance that showed that Judge Older "had run away with Ronald Hughes," which caused them to be expelled from the courtroom.
Maps Ronald Hughes
Death
Over the ensuing months, police conducted more than a dozen search areas where Hughes was last seen. After receiving an anonymous tip in March 1971, police also searched the area around Barker Ranch in Inyo County where Manson and his former colleagues lived.
On March 29, 1971, on the same day the jury returned a death sentence against all the defendants on all charges, Hughes's deeply rotting body was discovered by two fishermen in Ventura County. His body was found sandwiched between two rocks in the abyss, Hughes was later identified positively by an X-ray of his teeth. Due to his severe decomposition, the cause and nature of his death were ruled 'undetermined'.
His funeral was held on 7 April 1971 in West Los Angeles. Hughes is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Aftermath
In his book, Helter Skelter Vincent Bugliosi writes that Sandra Good, a Manson colleague and close friend of Manson's faithful Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, claimed that Manson family members had killed "35 to 40 people" and "Hughes is the first of the killings of retaliation." Attorney Stephen Kay, who helped Bugliosi prosecute members of the Manson family, stated that when he was "on the fence" about Manson's family involvement in Hughes's death, Manson had an open contempt for Hughes during the trial. Kay adds, "The last thing Manson said to him [Hughes] was, 'I do not want to see you in the courtroom anymore,' and he never looks alive again."
Retired Venture County Sheriff Charlie Rudd, who was assigned to investigate Hughes's disappearance, stated that he felt Hughes's death was unintentional because there was no sign of cheating. Rudd believes that Hughes was stranded by a rainstorm that caused the river to swell. He believes that Hughes drowned or fainted and was killed by rocks and debris as he was swept away by water. Musician and writer Ed Sanders, who is a friend of Hughes, writes of his death in his 1971 book The Family. Sanders also believed that his death was drowning accidentally.
In 1976, Leslie Van Houten was given a new trial on the grounds that he was denied the proper legal representation after Hughes disappeared before the closing argument. Van Houten's review in 1977 ended with a hanging jury. He was released from prison after posting a $ 200,000 bond and repeating in 1978. In his third trial, Van Houten was found guilty of first-degree murder Leno and Rosemary LaBianca and conspiracy in connection with Tate's murder. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Footnote
Source
- Bugliosi, Vincent; Gentry, Curt (1974, 1994). Helter Skelter: The Real Story of Manson Murder . W. W. Norton & amp; Company. ISBNÃ, 0-393-32223-8
- Sanders, Ed (2002). Family . Da Capo Press. ISBNÃ, 1-560-25396-7
External links
- Ronald Hughes in Discovering the Mausoleum
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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