Malcolm Lucas from the University of Southern California in 1950 and a Bachelor of Laws from the USC Gould School of Law in 1953. From 1954 to 1967, he was in private practice in Long Beach, California. From 1967 to 1971, he was a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In February 1970, Lucas was the trial judge in the prosecution of Charles Manson for the murder of actress Sharon Tate, which continued through January 1971. In June 1970, Lucas had Manson removed from the courtroom due to his disruptive behavior. On July 8, 1971, President Richard Nixon nominated Lucas
Charles Manson was part of the journalist's prime-time special on Satanism. At least as early as the Snyder interview, Manson's forehead bore a swastika in the spot where the X carved during his trial had been. Nikolas Schreck conducted an interview with Manson for his documentary "Charles Manson Superstar" (1989). Schreck concluded that Manson was not insane but merely acting that way out of frustration. On September 25, 1984, Manson was imprisoned in the California Medical Facility at Vacaville when inmate Jan Holmstrom poured paint thinner on him and set him on fire, causing second- and third-degree burns on over 20 percent