In December 1970 in Los Angeles, a Superior Court judge appointed attorney Max Keith to represent Leslie Van Houten, one of three young women on trial with Charles Manson for killing seven people over two nights in August 1969. The trial had begun some six months earlier and Max had only a short time to absorb 18,000 pages of court documents. Arguing that the women were “mindless robots” brainwashed by Manson, he delivered what the prosecutor later called “the best of the defense arguments.” However, all were found guilty.
Earlier, in a case also drawing national headlines, Max defended wealthy doctor R. Bernard Finch, who was convicted of killing his wife.
Before becoming a defense attorney, Max served as an assistant district attorney in Los Angeles. His wartime service was in the Pacific as a bombardier in the Army Air Force.
Max’s death March 5, 2013, left his widow, the former Alison Cronkhite; his daughters, Hilary Keith, Elizabeth Keith, Alison Stirling, and Adelaide Muro; sons Gordon and Alexander; eight grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Although he was out of touch with Princeton over our many decades, Max continued as our classmate, and our condolences reach out to his family.