In the first half, investigative reporter Mark Shaw delved into the complexities surrounding the Charles Manson murders, as well as other high-profile cases from the 1960s. While unequivocal about Manson's guilt, he questioned the integrity of the trial process, citing mishandled evidence and prosecutorial misconduct. "People need to know about that," he said, referring to the handling of Linda Kasabian's testimony and other evidence. Kasabian, the prosecution's main witness, was granted complete immunity despite her questionable actions during the murders. She admitted she was outside by the car, heard the screams, saw a man covered in blood, and did nothing to call the police, Shaw noted, emphasizing that without her testimony, Manson's conviction might not have been possible.
Additionally, he criticized the media and political interference during the trial, particularly a nationwide newspaper headline declaring "Nixon Says Manson Guilty" while the jury was still deliberating. "If those kind of things happen, what you do if you're a judge is you call a mistrial," Shaw argued, suggesting the trial was compromised but continued regardless. The discussion also touched on Manson's influence over his followers, attributed to his charisma and the cultural climate of the era.
Shaw placed the Manson murders in a broader context of injustice during the turbulent 1960s, referencing the deaths of Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, and Dorothy Kilgallen. These cases shared flawed investigations, such as botched autopsies and ignored evidence, he added.
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In the latter half, paranormal researcher and tour founder Courtney McInvale discussed haunted sites, particularly related to the Civil War. A former Department of Justice counterterrorism investigator, she incorporates skills she learned at the FBI Academy and beyond in her historical tours. She pointed to Chickamauga, Georgia, the site of the Civil War's second bloodiest battle, as a focal point for paranormal activity. "A lot of the pain and anguish and fear that comes in a battle is so strong that it permeates into the energy of the earth and the air around it," creating a lasting imprint, she explained. Among local legends is "Green Eyes," a mysterious entity said to "swoop over souls."
In her tours, "we walk through time... talk about the dark history, the morbid things, the macabre," and she mixes in local interviews and personal investigations, aiming to connect historical facts with reported hauntings. She shared a chilling story from Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, where thousands of unknown soldiers were buried. Spectral voices are reportedly heard issuing the names of soldiers in a kind of roll call, including one surprised cemetery visitor's own name.
Her tours, including Seaside Shadows in Mystic, Connecticut, include a ghost hunting aspect, using devices like K2 meters and dowsing rods. She described a chilling encounter: "I looked at this one man... he wasn't someone I had checked in... and I looked back to see him, and he wasn't there." McInvale discussed the emotional core of hauntings, suggesting spirits seek acknowledgment: "I think the greatest fear we all have is our memory being fleeting... a spirit's presence is almost saying: Don't forget me. Remember my story and carry it forward." She also incorporates rituals like a "white light process" to help participants feel safe after tours.
News segment guests: Howard Bloom / Mish Shedlock