Charles Manson has been in prison since 1969 and isn't eligible for parole until 2027, but he may be getting married — to a 26-year-old woman who believes he is innocent and visits him in prison.
The Associated Press obtained the marriage license for Manson, 80, and Afton Elaine Burton, who maintains websites advocating for his innocence in the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Burton left her home in the Midwest nearly a decade ago and moved to Corcoran, Calif., where Manson is incarcerated so she could be near him. The marriage license, the AP reported, doesn't specify a wedding date. The couple must reapply if they aren't married within 90 days.
Burton, who goes by the name "Star," told the AP that the wedding was next month.
"Y'all can know that it's true," she told the agency. "It's going to happen."
Burton told the AP that they were waiting for the prison to complete their paperwork.
Here's more from the AP:
"California Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton confirmed to the AP that the license had been transmitted to the prison. "Thornton said each California prison designates an employee to be a marriage coordinator who processes paperwork for an inmate's request to be wed. In most cases, she said, the department of corrections approves of such weddings as 'a tool of family reunification and social development.' But Manson is a unique case. "Burton said the wedding might have happened earlier if Manson did not have 'some situations' at the prison. "Thornton explained that in February, Manson had three violations for possession of a weapon, threatening staff and refusal to provide a urine sample. "Burton said the prison holds marriages on the first Saturday of each month. She expects to be married in an inmate vising room at the prison."
Manson and Burton are allowed 10 guests who aren't inmates. Manson isn't allowed conjugal visits, however.
Burton told the AP that being married to the convicted killer would allow her access to information unavailable to non-relatives — information that could get him a new trial.
Manson and his followers – known as "The Family" – became convinced in the 1960s that the world was on the brink of an apocalyptic race war. They then killed nine people, including the actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of director Roman Polanski. Grocers Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were killed the following night.
Two of Manson's female followers, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel, are also imprisoned. Another, Susan Atkins, who was described as the "scariest of the Manson girls," died in 2009 of cancer in prison.
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