Chilling 12-word statement Charles Manson declared in court after being sentenced for Sharon Tate and friends' violent murders

In January 1971, prolific cult leader Charles Manson was handed the death penalty after being found guilty of multiple murders - as well as conspiracy to commit murder.

Two years earlier, four members of his 'Family' savagely murdered Hollywood actress Sharon Tate and her friends.

The following night, the foursome - joined by Manson himself and two other members - went on to take the lives of local couple Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in a similarly gruesome way.

After his punishment was set by a judge following a divisive trial, Manson made a 12-word statement that would continue to haunt true-crime fanatics for decades to come.

The Manson Family murders

On 9 August 1969, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian entered the plush LA property of filmmaker Roman Polanski and his long-term girlfriend, Sharon Tate.

While the director was travelling Europe for work, 26-year-old actress and eight-months pregnant Tate stayed at the property with hairdresser Jay Sebring, actor Wojciech Frykowski and coffee heiress Abigail Folger.

Allegedly with instructions from Manson to 'kill everyone' at the property, the four 'Family' members approached 10050 Cielo Drive.

Upon their arrival, the group came face-to-face with 18-year-old Steven Parent, a friend of the property's caretaker.

Watson apprehended the teen as he attempted to drive away from the property in his car, before slashing him with a knife several times and fatally shooting him four times in the chest and abdomen.

Atkins told the press in an interview following her conviction that the group then broke into Polanski's property.

Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring were murdered at 10050 Cielo Drive (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Armed with three knives and a gun, she said Watson began the torment by waking Frykowski - who was sleeping on the sofa - at gunpoint, and tying his hands together with a towel.

Tate and Sebring - who were relaxing in one of the bedrooms - were then rounded up by Atkins and Krenwinkel, before being tied together in the living room with a nylon rope.

Sebring was the first friend to be murdered after he attempted to emphasise that Tate was pregnant.

Watson subsequently shot and stabbed him seven times, before hanging his body with a nylon rope.

In a panic, Frykowski subsequently managed to break free and escape through the front door. Sadly, Watson caught up with him before stabbing him 51 times, and striking him 13 times in the head with the butt of his gun.

Folger also attempted to escape through the back door at this time, but she was followed by Krenwinkel and Watson, who also stabbed her to death.

The final to die was Tate, who was stabbed 16 times by Watson and Atkins before being hanged with the same rope.

Four of Charles Manson's 'Family' committed the murders (Bettmann/Getty)

Less than 24 hours later, Manson led the group - also joined by members Leslie Van Houten and Clem Grogan - to another LA property, owned by Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, whom the 'Family' killed in a similarly gruesome way.

Arrests, trial and Manson's damning statement

Two months after their crimes, Manson and his disciples were arrested. The cult leader had ceaselessly maintained in court, however, that he never instructed the group to kill Tate and her friends and that his followers had their own free will.

The prosecution argued in court that Manson had intended to start an apocalyptic race war during an unstable time in America's political history, and that the murders were a means of doing that.

In 1971, he, Atkins, Van Houten, and Krenwinkel were found guilty in the first-degree of all six killings. Watson was tried and convicted separately later that year.

According to a brand new Netflix true-crime series, titled Chaos: The Manson Murders, after the ruling was read, Manson yelled out at the jurors: "You're all guilty - we're still not allowed to put on a defence."

Manson gave an eerie statement in court (Bettmann/Getty)

The sentencing

Each member of the murderous group was subsequently handed sentenced to death. Their punishment was later changed to life in prison, however, after California abolished capital punishment in 1972.

Despite the prosecution's argument, the motives for the Manson murders have been disputed ever since.

Some followers of the case believe the group had intended to murder record producer Terry Melcher the night that Tate was killed. He'd lived in the area and had previously promised Manson a music deal, only to back out.

Another theory alleges that the Tate-LaBianca murders were copycat crimes, carried out in a bid to exonerate former 'Family' member Bobby Beausoleil, who'd already been jailed for another killing.

One other alleges that Manson had worked alongside the CIA at the time, as it was investigating the possible existence of mind-control when combined with the drug-heavy free-love movement of 1960s America.

Chaos: The Manson Murders is now available to stream on Netflix.