Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties

“Some things may have gotten past me.”

In Chaos, this is the closest Bugliosi comes to admitting fault. He vaguely suggests that not everything in the Manson trial was perfect. The phrase “may have gotten past me” shifts responsibility from intentional misconduct to human error. Bugliosi’s hedging language reveals his cautious attempt to preserve his credibility.

“Who cares? It means nothing!”

Bugliosi expresses frustration, dismissing Tom O’Neill’s findings about potential lies and cover-ups in the Manson trial. His flippant tone suggests that the truth, regardless of its significance, is irrelevant to Bugliosi. The quote suggests a sense of moral ambiguity and indifference to deeper truths.

“The crimes still held great sway over the public imagination, my editor said. What was it that made Manson so special? Why had he and the Family lingered in the cultural conversation when other, even more macabre murders had faded from memory?”

O’Neill reflects on his initial assignment to investigate why the Manson murders continue to captivate the public. The combination of celebrity, violence, and counterculture created a lasting impact on the American psyche. The above questions set the stage for O’Neill’s investigation into the cultural and societal significance of the Manson murders.