A number of sources do suggest that very thing: Death to Pigs, by Hendrickson pg501 Bugliosi interview by Merrick, 12-15-71 Bugliosi: "...

A man stands accused of inspiring, inciting, prompting (insert your word of choice) his followers to act, and their actions lead to violence...

The word   'programming'   comes up repeatedly in the Manson saga.  And in the way it's used, I think they are referring to ...

Chaos by Tom O'Neill, pg369 "The most puzzling question of all," Bugliosi wrote, was how Manson had turned his docile follower...

 As you all have probably heard, Linda Kasabian passed-away a couple weeks ago.  Linda Kasabian, Charles Manson follower who helped send him...