LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal judge has ordered taped
conversations from 1969 between Manson Family killer Charles
"Tex" Watson and his now-dead lawyer turned over to Los
Angeles police, who are investigating the cult's possible
involvement in unsolved murders.
The written order by U.S. District Judge Richard Schell in
Texas, made public on Tuesday, upholds a ruling last year by
a federal bankruptcy judge. Watson had appealed the bank-
ruptcy judge's order from the California prison where he is
serving a life term, claiming that the tapes were protected
under attorney-client privilege.
Some eight hours of discussions between Watson and his
defense attorney Bill Boyd were recorded in 1969 after
Watson was arrested in the Manson family murder of actress
Sharon Tate and others in Los Angeles. The tapes surfaced
years later, during federal bankruptcy proceedings in in-
volving Boyd's now-defunct law firm in Texas.
"We're very pleased the judge ruled in our favor. We're looking forward to get-
ting those tapes and thoroughly analyzing the contents," Los Angeles Police
spokesman Andrew Smith said.
"This Manson Family crime spree is one of most notorious and heinous in South-
ern California history and we, the LAPD, believe we owe it to the victims and
their families to ensure that every facet of this case is thoroughly and com-
pletely investigated, and we plan to do exactly that," Smith said.
If Watson does not appeal the ruling within 30 days, Los Angeles police de-
tectives will travel to Texas to pick up the recordings which had been held
pending the outcome of the bankruptcy case, Smith said.
"We've got many unsolved homicide cases from that era here in Southern Cali-
fornia and we're hoping maybe something on these tapes may tie the Manson Family
or any of these individuals to one of those homicides," he said.
A Fort Worth, Texas-based attorney representing Watson in the case could not
be reached for comment on Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/judge-orders-manson-family-tapes-handed-over-los-215827933.html
