Luke Lamana

So he made another pot of coffee and went to his bookshelf. When he had first started researching the CIA, O'Neill had also done some digging on other classified government programs of that era. Among them was an FBI domestic surveillance program called COINTELPRO. The purpose of COINTELPRO was to undermine the peace movement and any other organization the FBI considered radical.

So he made another pot of coffee and went to his bookshelf. When he had first started researching the CIA, O'Neill had also done some digging on other classified government programs of that era. Among them was an FBI domestic surveillance program called COINTELPRO. The purpose of COINTELPRO was to undermine the peace movement and any other organization the FBI considered radical.

Only a few months after COINTELPRO was activated, the CIA followed the FBI's lead and formed their own program. They named it CHAOS. Both COINTELPRO and CHAOS were active in San Francisco, which was just across the bay from Oakland, where the Black Panthers were based. O'Neill thought the location of the government programs was no coincidence.

Only a few months after COINTELPRO was activated, the CIA followed the FBI's lead and formed their own program. They named it CHAOS. Both COINTELPRO and CHAOS were active in San Francisco, which was just across the bay from Oakland, where the Black Panthers were based. O'Neill thought the location of the government programs was no coincidence.

The more O'Neill read about COINTELPRO's tactics, the more he thought about that description of Dr. West trying to pass as a hippie. This is precisely how COINTELPRO operated. COINTELPRO agents were trained to dress and speak like the youth groups they were infiltrating, even though they were in fact government agents. They were even trained how to take LSD and not break cover.

The more O'Neill read about COINTELPRO's tactics, the more he thought about that description of Dr. West trying to pass as a hippie. This is precisely how COINTELPRO operated. COINTELPRO agents were trained to dress and speak like the youth groups they were infiltrating, even though they were in fact government agents. They were even trained how to take LSD and not break cover.

O'Neill shook his head, imagining how many stiff, awkward men in flowy shirts loitering around Haight-Ashbury in 1967 were actually undercover federal agents. But this wasn't COINTELPRO's only tactic. They also recruited certain inmates from the prison system. Potential candidates were offered a deal. Freedom in exchange for going undercover for the FBI. Most prisoners agreed.

O'Neill shook his head, imagining how many stiff, awkward men in flowy shirts loitering around Haight-Ashbury in 1967 were actually undercover federal agents. But this wasn't COINTELPRO's only tactic. They also recruited certain inmates from the prison system. Potential candidates were offered a deal. Freedom in exchange for going undercover for the FBI. Most prisoners agreed.

In 1960, Manson was given a 10-year sentence for forging a U.S. Treasury check while he was already on probation for other crimes. But, for unknown reasons, Manson was transferred from Washington State to California and given an early release on March 21st of 1967. O'Neill had one simple question. Did the FBI or CIA offer Manson a deal?

In 1960, Manson was given a 10-year sentence for forging a U.S. Treasury check while he was already on probation for other crimes. But, for unknown reasons, Manson was transferred from Washington State to California and given an early release on March 21st of 1967. O'Neill had one simple question. Did the FBI or CIA offer Manson a deal?

O'Neill realized he was deep in the weeds of conjecture, but that didn't mean he was wrong. As he finished his third cup of coffee, O'Neill found something in his COINTELPRO files that made him sit up even straighter. It was a transcription of a series of leaked memos sent by COINTELPRO to the Los Angeles police in the late 1960s.

O'Neill realized he was deep in the weeds of conjecture, but that didn't mean he was wrong. As he finished his third cup of coffee, O'Neill found something in his COINTELPRO files that made him sit up even straighter. It was a transcription of a series of leaked memos sent by COINTELPRO to the Los Angeles police in the late 1960s.

In the memos, COINTELPRO shared ideas for how the LAPD could help weaken radical political groups. The COINTELPRO officials suggested that police shouldn't rely mainly on direct harassment of groups like the Black Panthers. That could too easily blow up in their faces. Instead, they should harass people sympathetic to these radical groups, such as civil rights advocates and Hollywood liberals.

In the memos, COINTELPRO shared ideas for how the LAPD could help weaken radical political groups. The COINTELPRO officials suggested that police shouldn't rely mainly on direct harassment of groups like the Black Panthers. That could too easily blow up in their faces. Instead, they should harass people sympathetic to these radical groups, such as civil rights advocates and Hollywood liberals.

The targets for harassment in the COINTELPRO memo perfectly described the people that Charles Manson's family killed. One of the victims, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, was actually a member of the White Panthers, a group of white activists set up to support the Black Panthers, and Sharon Tate and her husband, the famed director Roman Polanski. were known for hosting Hollywood's liberal elite.

The targets for harassment in the COINTELPRO memo perfectly described the people that Charles Manson's family killed. One of the victims, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, was actually a member of the White Panthers, a group of white activists set up to support the Black Panthers, and Sharon Tate and her husband, the famed director Roman Polanski. were known for hosting Hollywood's liberal elite.

Most of the guests on the night of the murder, August 9th, 1969, were likely Black Panther supporters. O'Neal knew it was a wild thought, but it was almost as if the Manson family was doing the work of the FBI when they went on their rampage. Sure, COINTELPRO did not recommend murder as a form of harassment, but the parallels between the FBI strategy and Manson's were disturbing.

Most of the guests on the night of the murder, August 9th, 1969, were likely Black Panther supporters. O'Neal knew it was a wild thought, but it was almost as if the Manson family was doing the work of the FBI when they went on their rampage. Sure, COINTELPRO did not recommend murder as a form of harassment, but the parallels between the FBI strategy and Manson's were disturbing.

O'Neal's head was spinning. But did these strange parallels prove anything? Was he unraveling a mystery or unraveling himself? The line between cracking the case and becoming a crackpot kept getting thinner.

O'Neal's head was spinning. But did these strange parallels prove anything? Was he unraveling a mystery or unraveling himself? The line between cracking the case and becoming a crackpot kept getting thinner.