SAN LUIS OBISPO, Apr. 11 – Charles “Tex” Watson, the California Men’s Colony inmate recently accused of abusing his job in a prison chapel, has been cleared of wrongdoing by his chief accuser, another inmate.

In addition, CMC Warden Wayne Estelle said Friday that Watson did not abuse his job in the prison’s Protestant chapel.

Watson, who killed seven people in Los Angeles in 1969 on Charles Manson’s orders, was removed April 2 from his job as teacher’s aid in the chapel. Watson’s job for now is doing yard work, Estelle said.

Watson was removed from the chapel because of the stir created among inmates when life prisoner Steven Toussaint accused Watson of using his job to wield power over other inmates.

Toussaint claimed Watson, an ordained minister who conducted chapel services, once excluded him from a service. Toussaint also said the prison staff punished him once at Watson’s behest.

But on Thursday, Toussaint recanted all his allegations, according to prison officials. He withdrew his complaints and apologized to Watson, other inmates and the prison staff, officials said.

“I’m told the apology he made was for putting people through this situation,” said Warden Estelle. “He said he reacted more out of anger than out of issues. He said he was influenced by another inmate who now he feels doesn’t have the credibility he did,” Estelle said.

“He said he thought it had gone far enough,” said Larry Kamien, CMC program director. “He said it was never his intent to see Watson be transferred from the facility.”

A parole board recommended Watson be transferred to another prison during a hearing April 2. CMC officials have not yet decided whether Watson will be transferred.

Toussaint’s allegations in March led to a prison investigation into the internal workings of the chapel.

“The (allegations) were found for the most part to have no foundation,” said Estelle, who received a copy of the completed investigation Thursday.

“On balance, it seems to reaffirm … that Rev. (Stanley) McGuire has dedicated himself to a good program,” said Estelle.

Watson wielded no real power in his position in the chapel, where he began work shortly after becoming a born-again Christian 10 years ago, the warden said.

“He was doing work under the chaplain’s direction,” Estelle said.

Some inmates thought Watson was more powerful than he was because of the way Watson “carried himself,” said Estelle.

From now on, an inmate will receive a review after he’s been on the same job for more than three years, Estelle said, “to prevent the practice or the appearance of the inmate assuming more responsibilities than he is entitled to.”

Part of Watson’s responsibilities in the chapel was providing counseling to other inmates. Doris Tate, mother of actress Sharon Tate — whom Watson killed in his 1969 murder spree — objected last week to a murderer like Watson counseling other inmates.

Inmates working in the chapel will continue to give religious counseling, Estelle said. Inmates, however, will not be allowed to give “formal counseling,” he said.

In his complaints about Watson, Toussaint also stated two CMC prison funds “ought to be audited.”

Investigation has revealed no misuses of the accounts, the warden said.

By DAN PARKER