Charles Manson Hot Property Now That He's Pushing Daisies

LOS ANGELES, CA — As a court battle looms over killer cult leader Charles Manson's body and prison cell belongings, Fox is releasing a new Manson documentary and director Quentin Tarantino is making a Manson-inspired film, starring the likes of Margo Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, Al Pacino and Kurt Russell and Lena Dunham.

Apparently, in death, fascination over the Manson family patriarch hasn't faded, even 50 years he orchestrated the murders of nine people, including the pregnant actress Sharon Tate. His cult following continued to grow throughout his incarceration. People claiming to be his family or friends fought over his remains, leaving his body in limbo for weeks after his Nov. 19 death of heart failure. A trial is still scheduled Dec. 14 on the competing petitions to be the estate's permanent administrator.

Among those who tried to acquire Manson's worldly possessions were a man who claims to be his son, two of his long-time pen pals and his grandson Jason Freeman. Claims were filed by people in Florida, California, Wisconsin and Illinois, according to authorities.

On Tuesday, A lawyer nominated by the grandson of Charles Manson to oversee the mass killer's estate was given limited authority to do so.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Clifford Klein named Dale Kiken as the estate's temporary special administrator through Dec. 14.

Kiken will be tasked with recovering property, on behalf of Manson grandson Freeman, that the cult leader left behind in prison when he died at age 83 at Bakersfield Mercy Hospital of heart failure triggered by colon cancer that had spread to other areas of his body.

Kiken's lawyer, Alan Davis, said the appointment of his client gives Corcoran State Prison officials authorization to release Manson's belongings and averts for now the possibility the property could be disposed of or destroyed by those administrators after the first anniversary of Manson's death on Nov. 19. Davis said it is uncertain what might be recovered from Manson's longtime stay behind bars.

Attorney David Baldwin, who represents longtime Manson pen pal Michael Channels, told Klein that his client did not oppose the temporary appointment of Kiken, but added that Channels would like to see an itemized list of items recovered from the prison.

Freeman won a significant court victory when a Kern County commissioner ruled in March that he was entitled to Manson's remains. Like Freeman, Kiken maintains that a 2002 Manson will that Channels alleges he possesses is a forgery.

Channels said Manson's 2002 will, filed in Kern County last November, names him the executor of Manson's estate.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. MARCH 18: In this handout photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Charles Manson, 74, poses for a photo on March 18, 2009 at Corcoran State Prison, California. (Photo by California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via Getty Images)