URGENT UPDATE: Newly uncovered letters reveal the bizarre and unsettling relationship between notorious mass murderer Charles Manson and journalist Mary Neiswender, who covered his trial in the 1970s. These revelations come just as Mary’s daughter, Kate Neiswender, reflects on her mother’s chilling deathbed confession: “I dream things I shouldn’t dream.”
These intimate correspondences, spanning over 50 years, highlight a disturbing connection that many thought improbable. Manson, who died in November 2017 at age 83, maintained communication with Mary, a reporter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, during and after his trial for a string of brutal murders that horrified the nation.
In an intense exploration of this relationship, the book “Charlie and Me,” co-authored by Mary and Kate, was published earlier this month. Tragically, Mary passed away at the age of 98 in March, just before the book’s release, leaving Kate to share their story.
“Charlie was a regular on our phone,” Kate recalled, emphasizing how her childhood home in Los Angeles became a backdrop for Manson’s calls. “What you grew up with is what becomes familiar.” This unsettling familiarity stemmed from Mary’s unique access to Manson, facilitated by connections she forged while covering crime stories.
Mary’s firsthand accounts of Manson portray him as both charismatic and manipulative. During the trial in June 1970, Manson famously made a throat-slitting gesture towards her, yet she approached it with laughter. “I don’t think she bought it,” Kate reflected. “She always kept him at arm’s length.”
Manson’s letters to Mary often contained erratic thoughts and reflections on his crimes. In one misspelled note from March 1975, he lamented, “I’m made in to the worst for it.” His incoherence, however, masked a keen emotional intelligence that captivated many, including Mary. Kate said, “He could read people so clearly,” which often left young women enchanted.
Despite the horror associated with Manson, Mary viewed him through a lens that many would find controversial. “She said, ‘There’s good in him,'” Kate noted. This perspective diverges sharply from that of Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor who labeled Manson an “evil, sophisticated con man.” Mary’s complex view of Manson is echoed in her professional dealings with other killers, suggesting a nuanced understanding of human behavior.
In her twilight years, Mary experienced haunting nightmares, leading to her poignant confession. “I dream things I shouldn’t dream,” she told Kate, indicating the psychological toll of her long career covering violent crime.
As the world reacts to the release of these letters and the insights they provide into Manson’s psyche, the legacy of Mary Neiswender as both a journalist and a person intertwined with one of America’s most infamous criminals continues to provoke debate. How will society reconcile these revelations with the horror Manson represents?
Authorities and scholars alike are now poised to examine the impact of such relationships on both victims and perpetrators of crime. As this story develops, many will be left questioning the boundaries of empathy and the nature of evil.
This shocking narrative invites readers to consider the complexities of human connection, even in the darkest of circumstances, and raises urgent questions about morality and understanding in the face of horror.
