17. Manson shot a black drug dealer, Bernard Crowe, in May 1969
Manson announced that Helter Skelter was imminent on New Year’s Eve 1968. Preparations began immediately: Manson continued to write his subliminal album whilst the Family gathered weapons and money. Along the way, the Family defrauded Bernard Crowe, a black drug dealer, out of $2,500. Crowe was a hardened criminal and threatened to destroy the Spahn Ranch in retaliation. Seizing the initiative, Manson drove with Family member Thomas Wallemann to kill Crowe first, but Wallemann chickened out, meaning that Manson had to pull the trigger. Crowe survived, but Manson believed he was dead, bragging about having killed another ‘blackie’.
