Solano County authorities dropped assault charges against...

Solano County authorities dropped assault charges against a convict who set mass murderer Charles Manson on fire at the state prison at Vacaville in September during a fight over religion. Deputy Dist. Atty. Jim Highsmith said it would be a “waste of time and effort” to prosecute convicted murderer Jan Holstrom, 36, because Manson’s long record of threatening inmates and guards sets up a strong case for self-defense. Highsmith said Holstrom’s mental condition also was a factor against prosecution. Highsmith said Holstrom claimed that his guru communicated with him telepathically and told him to attack Manson, who objected the Highsmith’s Hare Krishna chants. Manson, 50, convicted of masterminding the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and eight others, has recovered from second- and third-degree burns over 18% of his body.