An article from June 1970. Charles Manson won't turn around to face the judge, the prosecutor tries to rid the trial of Irving Kanarek and other assorted things. These go in the middle column:
There's a story on Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired that one of the lawyers (not in RP's case) tells about Judge Rittenband (RP's Judge) on the special features. He said that for some reason Charlie was in Judge Rittenband's courtroom and he wouldn't face the Judge. The Judge told him to face the Court and Manson refused spewing his usual garbage and Rittenband said "You will face the Court". Apparently Rittenband had a very old baritone voice that sounded very authoritative. The public defender said that Charlie actually turned around. I have no idea if this is true but it is a very funny story if in fact true.
Funny, yes, but entirely in accord with Manson's character. He always submits to the authority of his peers if he perceives them to have good qualities. Read about his interactions with Paul Crockett told in Paul Watkins' book. Manson is at first dismissive yet curious about Crockett who had clearly got to Paul. Then he tries to out-philosophize him and catch him in his web. When that fails he tries to intimidate him with a knife. When that fails Paul tells of overhearing Manson and Crockett outside the ranch talking. "I don't know nothing, really, I don't!" says Manson. He wanted Crockett to teach him whatever he knew. This is a strange side of Charlie we rarely see - his humility before people who he feels have got his number. Before getting out in '67 it seems he was always learning from older men, guards and prisoners alike. So to me it makes perfect sense that Manson, hearing genuine authority and dignity in that judge's voice, would naturally respect it. Also one cannot overlook the power of intimidation - even Manson can be intimidated.
Stories like this underscore something I think CM has tried to communicate - his infant level emotional development with an obvious deeper awareness he's developmentally arrested - that he's a boy just trying to come across as a sagely adult. A sage adult who is as on the ball as the many who apparently tried to mentor him.
Good point about the boy trying to be a sagely man - however Manson would no doubt say that the child is the sage, the wisdom is in the kids whose minds are free. He has made the point many times but he appears to use it to get sympathy - like the "I ain't too good at this reading stuff" line.
