Charles Manson has been in the news this week, and for once it has nothing to do with his case. In fact, he is not even eligible for parole again until 2027, and by then he will be 97. That has not stopped 26-year-old Afton "Star" Burton from deciding to marry him, though. Not only did she apply for a marriage license on their behalf earlier this month, according to CNN, but she has considered herself Manson's wife for years.
Burton left her home in Illinois at 19 in order to live in Corcoran, California, where Manson is incarcerated following his conviction in masterminding a mass murder that left seven dead in 1969. She currently runs several websites in support of Manson's innocence. According to Burton's mother, Melissa Burton, the couple appears to love each other and they do take care of each other.
She claims Manson's work from behind bars with environmental issues is what drew her daughter to him in the first place. Melissa believes her daughter is smart and, after growing to love Manson, is following her heart.
That does not mean Melissa has any intention of attending her daughter's wedding, though. Under California prison rules, up to 10 people from the outside world can be present for the jailhouse nuptials, but she will not be one of them. No official date has been set yet and Burton has confirmed they will need to marry on a regular visitation day.
Because Manson is serving a life sentence, there will be no conjugal visits. He and Burton are allowed to exchange hugs at the beginning and end of every visit, with no other physical contact in between.
Burton visits Manson nearly every week and they talk by phone daily. She spends most of her time working to try and free Manson, a task that seems pretty unlikely.
Do you think he will actually marry Burton? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
