The Fallout

"I'm Charlie. Charlie Manson. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

My blood runs cold as the name registers. Charles Manson - one of the most infamous criminals in American history. My mind immediately starts recalling the details of his case:

Charles Milles Manson, born in 1934, leader of the Manson Family cult in the late 1960s. Responsible for orchestrating a series of brutal murders in 1969, including the killing of actress Sharon Tate. Though he didn't personally commit the murders, he was convicted for his role in directing his followers to carry out the killings. Manson died in prison in 2017 at the age of 83.

A wave of revulsion washes over me. Unlike the other killers who've haunted my thoughts, Manson's crimes are still fresh in the collective memory. There are people alive today - victims' family members, friends, and survivors - who are still grappling with the trauma he inflicted.