Charles Manson: Cult leader and mass murderer 'seriously ill in hospital'

‘I’m not allowing myself to feel anything until I know it’s true,’ says victim’s sister

The convicted criminal headed a cult that committed grisly murders in hopes of igniting a ‘race war’ (Getty)

Mass murderer Charles Manson has been taken to hospital after falling “seriously ill”, according to reports.

The 82-year-old is purportedly being treated at a medical centre in Bakersfield, which is just over an hour away from California’s Corcoran State Prison.

One source told the Los Angeles Times the condition of the convicted criminal – who founded a murderous quasi-commune that became known as the Manson Family – was “serious”.

But corrections officials have declined to say whether Manson had been hospitalised, citing inmate security procedure, only confirming the criminal was still alive.

Corcoran has medical facilities to treat inmates requiring urgent or emergency care as well as inpatient hospital stays, but prisoners are usually transported elsewhere if they need surgery.

“In general, inmates are sent to outside hospitals if they need surgical services, emergency care, or diagnostic services of an acute nature,” said Joyce Hayhoe, a spokeswoman for the federal receiver who controls prison medical care.

“These services are not provided in state prison facilities.”

Manson headed a macabre cult that committed grisly murders in majority white neighbourhoods of Los Angeles in the hope of generating hatred towards African Americans and igniting a race war.

He has been imprisoned since shortly after the 1969 killings, which included the murder of Sharon Tate, director Roman Polanski’s wife, who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time.

Ms Tate – an American actress and model – was killed at her Beverly Hills home along with three of her friends who were staying with her.

An 18-year-old man, Steven Parent, who was visiting the property’s caretaker, was also killed.

The following night, Leno and Rosemary La Bianca, a supermarket executive and dress shop owner, were bound and stabbed to death.

After being convicted for the murders of seven people, along with four of his Manson Family followers, Manson was sentenced to death. But he was spared execution after a US Supreme Court ruling temporarily banned the death penalty in 1972.

Late on Tuesday night, three vans from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation were parked outside Bakersfield’s Mercy Hospital Downtown, where prisoners have been treated before.

Ms Tate's sister Debra Tate told The Associated Press that, as a Catholic, she makes “no ill wishes” for the people who killed her sister, and will reserve her feelings until hearing Manson has died.

“I would probably say a prayer for them and shed a tear and ask God to have mercy on their souls, but so far I haven't allowed myself to feel anything because it's unsubstantiated,” Ms Tate said.

“I'm not allowing myself to feel anything until I know that it's true.”

Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in an email that the agency had no information on Manson. The office prosecuted Manson and has objected to his release. He was most recently up for parole in 2012 – his 12th bid for freedom.

Manson, who did not personally commit the murders but ordered his followers to carry them out, is not eligible to apply for parole again until 2027.

In 2014 Manson was granted permission to marry Afton Elaine Burton, yet the ceremony never happened.

Ms Burton, now known as Star, who is 53 years younger than Manson, has been accused of wanting to marry the criminal in order to make money.

In November, the state inspector general, which monitors the corrections system, characterised care at Corcoran as “inadequate”.