Hitler also fought in WW1. He fought literally in the trenches, saw quite a bit of fire. was twice wounded, and won an Iron Cross, so it’s likely that he personally killed people then, though I guess it wouldn’t have technically been murder.
Re Manson: If I remember *Helter Skelter *correctly, he did tie up the LaBiancas, so he did participate in two murders. I also believe he helped murder Shorty Shea, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there were others. In my book, if you order your brain-dead zombies to commit murder, you are just as morally culpaple.
I would also say the Green River Killer. I once read a comment by someone that went something like this: “If you’re not going to kill someone for murdering 45 women, why bother to have the death penalty?”
Yeah, I was coming in to say this. I thought there was one guy he killed when he was thought to have been completely alone. Can’t remember who. If *Helter Skelter *is correct, one of the great misconceptions about Charles Manson is that he didn’t actually kill anyone with his own hands.
Yes, Manson was originally sentenced to death, until the death penalty was reversed. He now comes up for parole once in a while. He still looks crazy as can be. And he is believed to have killed people, but their bodies weren’t found, nor the evidence to prove it.
He may not have used the knife, but directing his “family” to do so was just about the same thing. They did whatever he told them to, without question. The world is a much better place with Manson behind bars, at the very least.
And don’t forget that when she had a child after getting released from prison, she went into the hospital under the false last name that she and Bernardo had used before - which he had gotten from the name of a fictional serial killer.
I’m sure she has learned her lesson. Totally.