Official says Charles Manson alive; reports say hospitalized

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Mass murderer Charles Manson was taken from his California prison cell to a hospital, according to several news reports. A prison official would only confirm the 82-year-old Manson was alive Wednesday and gave no other information.

Manson was convicted of orchestrating the 1969 murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others.

The cult leader attracted disaffected young people who lived in in a commune, followed his orders and ultimately were turned into killers.

TMZ and the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that Manson had been hospitalized.

TMZ said he had been taken to a medical center in Bakersfield, about 60 miles south of Corcoran State Prison where Manson was being held.

Two vans from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation were parked early Wednesday outside Bakersfield's Mercy Hospital Downtown, where state prisoners have been treated before. Some news media had gathered across the street from the hospital.

But CDCR spokeswoman Terry Thornton said only that Manson was alive and still assigned to the prison in Corcoran.

She declined to say whether he was at the hospital in Bakersfield, citing safety and privacy laws that prohibit her from discussing an inmate's medical situation.

Tate's sister, Debra Tate, said Tuesday night that, as a Catholic, she makes "no ill wishes" for the people who killed her sister and will reserve her feelings until hearing Manson has died.

"I would probably say a prayer for them and shed a tear and ask God to have mercy on their souls, but so far, I haven't allowed myself to feel anything because it's unsubstantiated," Tate said. "I'm not allowing myself to feel anything until I know that it's true."

Manson and three female followers, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were convicted of murder and sentenced to death for killings at two gruesome scenes in the summer of 1969. Another defendant, Charles "Tex" Watson, was convicted later.

All were spared execution when the California Supreme Court overturned the state's death penalty in 1972, and all existing death sentences were commuted to life in prison even though capital punishment later was reinstated. Months later, the U.S. Supreme Court also banned the death penalty temporarily.

Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in an email the agency had no information on Manson. The office prosecuted Manson and has objected to his release. He was most recently up for parole in 2012 -- his 12th bid for freedom.

The California State Prison, Corcoran, has medical facilities to treat inmates requiring urgent or emergency care as well as inpatient hospital stays.

"In general, inmates are sent to outside hospitals if they need surgical services, emergency care or diagnostic services of an acute nature," said Joyce Hayhoe, a spokeswoman for the federal receiver who controls prison medical care. "These services are not provided in state prison facilities."

In November, the state inspector general, which monitors the corrections system, characterized care at Corcoran as "inadequate."