Vincent Bugliosi Dead -- Charles Manson Prosecutor Dies at 80

Vincent Bugliosi -- the man who put the most dangerous criminals in modern times away for life -- has died.

Bugliosi was an L.A. County prosecutor in 1969 when he prosecuted Charles Manson and his notorious "family."

Manson is responsible for the brutal 1969 murder of Sharon Tate, who was pregnant, and six others. The bloody scene triggered panic in L.A., with thousands of people arming themselves in fear they would be next. A husband and wife -- unrelated to Tate -- were randomly slaughtered the next night.

Manson was trying to trigger a race war, which he called "Helter Skelter." That name ended up the title of Bugliosi's book chronicling the killings and the trial, which became a huge seller.

Bugliosi won convictions against all five defendants, including Manson, and they received the death penalty. The California Supreme Court overturned the death penalty years later and the sentences were reduced to life without parole.

Bugliosi was battling cancer.

RIP.