Charles Manson, the hippie cult leader who became the hypnotic-eyed face of evil across America after masterminding the gruesome murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles during the summer of 1969, has died after nearly a half-century in prison.

Former reporter Linda Deutsch recalls the grim and surreal spectacle of Charles Manson trial.

Manson, who was serving a life term for orchestrating one of the most notorious crimes in US history, had been imprisoned for more than 45 years at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Leslie Van Houten was 19 when she killed for Charles Manson in the summer of 1969, was due to appear before a panel for the 21st time today.

Patricia Krenwinkel, once a devout follower of cult killer Charles Manson and now the longest-serving female inmate in California, has appeared again before a parole board - 47 years after she helped kill pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six other people.

After 43 years in prison and 30 parole hearings, US parole officials have again decided it is safe to free Charles Manson follower Bruce Davis.

Vincent Bugliosi — the prosecutor in the Charles Manson trial who went on to write best-selling true-crime book Helter Skelter — has died at the age of 80.