26 May CHARLES MANSON’S “GRANDSON” NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE DNA TEST IN HELTER SKELTER PROBATE BATTLE
A California appeals court has overturned a lower court ruling requiring the DNA test of Jason Freeman (who has alleged to be the only living descendant and heir of notorious “Helter Skelter” murderer Charles Manson) to determine if he is in fact a blood descendant of the despicable Manson (who died in 2017) in a battle over Manson’s estate. Normally an heir would want a DNA test to show heirship. However, this case was different as Freeman did not want the DNA test.
Michael Channels, a memorabilia collector and prison pen pal of the infamous Manson and who has claimed that he is only beneficiary of Manson’s handwritten Will, made the request to prove Freeman was not the grandson of Manson.
Charles Manson had one child – Charles Manson, Jr. who changed his name to Charles Jay White for obvious reasons. White committed suicide in 1993. Freeman claims he is the son of White although White was not listed as a parent on his birth certificate. His allegations stem from a paternity lawsuit default judgment by an Ohio family court in favor of his mother (an Ohio resident) against White, a Texas resident. However, there was no proof that White received notice of the lawsuit so there was a question of whether White had the opportunity to be heard.
The lower court had ruled for the DNA test since Freeman claims the handwritten Will is a forgery. However, the California appeals court ruled that under California law only children (not grandchildren) could be subject to DNA testing.
Although Manson had no estate, apparently the fight over his Helter Skelter memorabilia, etc. continues four years after his death.
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