• Audio Archives: Gregg Jakobson interviewed by Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi, February 20, 1970 – Tape Four

Audio Archives: Gregg Jakobson interviewed by Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi, February 20, 1970 – Tape Four

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

“There was a change in his lifestyle”

Jan. 31 – In our fourth and final installment of the February 20, 1970 Gregg Jakobson interview, Jakobson tells Vincent Bugliosi that Charlie Manson believed women had two purposes, to serve man and to have, but not raise, children.

Jakobson discusses hearing about Charlie shooting Bernard Crowe from Bryn Lukashevsky and Dennis Wilson.

“Did he admit to you that he shot the black man?” questions Bugliosi.

“No, never really did,” answers Jakobson, “he said ‘I’m hot, things were getting hotter. I have to get out of here, I can’t stay here.’”

Jakobson tells Bugliosi of a change he saw in Charlie in the early part of 1969. That Manson started hanging around motorcycle gangs and began acquiring bikes and dune buggies.

gregg-jakobson

Gregg Jakobson

Gregg Jakobson, 30 years-old at the time of this interview, was a musician and talent scout who met Charlie Manson in the spring of 1968 at his friend’s house, Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson.

Born an orphan in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jakobson moved to California with his adopted mother in the early 1950s. In high school Gregg began acting, eventually landing a small role on The Doris Day Show, where he befriended her son, Terry Melcher.

Jakobson, who found the Manson “family” interesting and often discussed philosophy with Charlie, talked about wanting to film a documentary on the group’s lifestyle.

He testified for the state in the first Tate-LaBianca murder trial, again in 1971 when Tex Watson was tried, and finally in 1977 when Leslie Van Houten was retried.

Jakobson co-wrote two albums with his friend Dennis Wilson, Pacific Ocean Blue and Bambu. Dennis passed away during the recording of Bambu and the album was shelved until 2007 when Jakobson was finally able to get it released.

vincent-bugliosi

Deputy District Attorney Vincent T. Bugliosi

Deputy District Attorney Vincent T. Bugliosi, 35 years-old at the time of this interview, had been with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for 5 years. Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Bugliosi had attended the University of Miami on a tennis scholarship, followed by law school at UCLA .

Bugliosi became a member of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 1964. He was assigned to the Tate-LaBianca murder case on November 18, 1969.

During his 8 year career with the District Attorney’s office, Bugliosi tried 106 felony jury trials, obtaining convictions in all but one case. Bugliosi ran for District Attorney in 1972 and for Attorney General in 1974 and 1976, losing each election.

Vincent Bugliosi’s book about the Manson case, Helter Skelter, was released in 1974 and went on to become the best selling true crime book of all time.

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7 Responses to Audio Archives: Gregg Jakobson interviewed by Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi, February 20, 1970 – Tape Four

  1. Silentseason says:

    Another great listening experience, like a fly on the wall hearing everything from the Q & A to the interrupting phone calls. This segment is highlighted by Gregg’s noticing Manson’s change in temprement, becoming much more paranoid and agitated.

    I am curious as to the Helter Skelter mural Gregg mentioned. Was it at Spahn or Barker, and was it the infamous Helter Skelter door? It sounded like something totally different than the door.

    • cielodrive.com says:

      There are so many things I find interesting in this interview. Too many to list. And I don’t know why, but I love the ambient background noises and interruptions – the phones calls and car horns from the street below. Fascinating to hear Gregg talk about the changes he saw in Charlie. Also the comments about Dennis and Charlie feuding back and forth for awhile. It seems that things really took a turn for the worse when Charlie started hanging around the bikers.

      That mural was at the “Helter Skelter” nightclub they set up in the Saloon at Spahn. You’re right though, it’s definitely not to be confused with the Helter Skelter door.

  2. Maude's Harold says:

    For so many years I’ve read about these people, what they said, how they met Charlie et. al, but it was rather one dimensional. Listening to these tapes, hearing, in their own voices, their impressions and opinions, is utterly fascinating. It adds a dimension you could only get if you were there. The next best thing. Thanks again.

  3. KentuckyMark says:

    There was an interesting comment early in this tape. Jacobson describes Manson separating Mary Brunner from her baby, then says he also separated Sadie from her baby, but she didn’t care. I’ve seen Sadie claim otherwise in her book, Myth, I believe.

    I have really enjoyed listening to these tape. It’s like going back in time! Well done Cielodrive.com.

    • Lisa says:

      It’s pretty hard to put any stock in anything that Atkins claimed, after hearing on these tapes from nearly everyone who is asked about her, that she was a compulsive liar and no one could ever believe her.

      Anyone who confesses to stabbing and killing someone when they really didn’t is someone without any credibility in my opinion. Like Phil Kaufman said, “If she told me what time it was, I’d go and check.”

  4. Renee says:

    Hello!

    I am wandering if any audio files exist of the People Vs. Charles Watson Trial. Specifically the Terry Melcher and Gregg Jakobson testimony? I have read the transcripts but is it possible to obtain the audio?

  5. Paul Hart says:

    Jakobson says Manson wanted to get out of town because things were getting too hot after the Crowe shooting. Manson told Jakobson a group of armed black men were gonna come after him.
    But here’s the strange part. It wasn’t all just in Manson’s imagination. A group of black men DID come looking for Manson several times in mid-to-late July 1969. The LA County sheriff’s report called them “numerous negro MILITANTS.” Why militants? Because of the way they looked (like Black Panthers) and the way they acted (very threatening). Juan Flynn said that after the group confronted Manson, he was very rattled and said he was “gonna cut them up.” But Manson didn’t have the manpower to take on these militants, whom he assumed were Black Panthers. So he needed the bikers and the cops to help him (according to Sheriff Deputy Grap). But his requests were ignored. A plot was then hatched collectively to frame the Black Panthers in horrific crimes to FORCE the police to take down the Panthers.

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