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b FD-350 (Rev. 7-16-63) oe (Mount Clipping in Space Below) for Manson Question Asked of Witness for Grogan Called Prejudicial BY RUDY. VILLASENOR Times Staff Writer | Move than two months of a cosily trial went for naught Friday when a ’ mistrial was declared_in the rhurder | proceedings against Steve Grogan( a 1 mentrber of the Charies Manson | "family." Superior Judge Joseph L. Call | issued the order after a day of soul- ( searching, sometimes in heated de- | bate with prosecution and defense attorneys. At 3:23 p.m., after 14 jurors, in- cluding two alternates, had been locked up four hours in the win- dowless room adjoining the court chamber, the jurist announced his decision. Grogan, 20, is accused of the deca- pitation murder of cowboy actor Donald J. (Shorty) Shea, 35, in the last days of August, 1969. Prosecution's Contentions The prosecution contends that the Manson group killed him because he had married a black woman; they suspected bim of being a police it- forme’, and they thought he had been hired to evict ‘them trom the Spabn movie ranch in Chatsworth. The turning: point came Thursday while Dep. Dist. Atty. Burton 5. Kate was cross-examining the third Hplanbes witness, Nancy Pitman, 20, : menider also’; known as \ udge Orders Mista Follower; lia ase ner OE | fa ever discussed killing Frank | Retz, who owned an adjoining ranch and later bought the Spahn place. She denied there had ever been such a discussion. But defense allorney Charles V. Weedman moved for mistrial, con- iending that the idea that Grogan might be guilty of another crime— with which he has not been charged | --had been implanted in the minds ; of the jurors and they could no Jon ger return a fair verdict, Disturbed by Question Jurors. seven women aud five mea, and the alternates, aman and a woman were excised for the day but Katz aud Weedman were sum- toned into chambers, Katz bitteriv opposed ordering a mistrial. "Tam highly disturbed about this." the judge told them in veference to| the menwion of Retz. "I am seriously | considering granting the ovistrial motion." When the time came for the ruling the jurist said he helieved the men- | tion of Retz had been so "prejudicial and inflammatory" that the defen- dant could not have an impartial tri- Grogan will be taken before Su- -perior Judge Richard [°. C. Hayden next Thursday for setting of a new trial date. ironically, none of the jurors gave much importance to the Retz re- mark. All agreed, in discussions af- ier their discharge, that they had ex- pected Miss Pitman to say nothing tderegeiery about Grogan, >===se2. | Lo St urn ious to me. that she in- | (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) II-1 Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, Calif. Dates = 88/28/71 Edition: Saturday b inal Author: Editor: Tithe: Character: or Classification: Submitting Office: Log Angeles CJ Being Jnvestlgated , fe, G7 ik AGS SEARCHED INDEXED WE : SERIALIZED ZA FILE: Cen Agu G3097, LOS ANGELES |