The attorney representing three members of the Manson family in multiple Marion County cases has withdrawn from all three clients, citing a conflict of interest. The withdrawal comes days before Steven L. Manson Sr. was arrested on new drug and firearm charges during a raid by the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Court records show Little Rock attorney Eugene P. Clifford filed motions to withdraw from the cases of Manson Sr., his son Steven M. Manson Jr., and Dezarae Manson on July 24. The filings, citing Rule 1.7 of the Arkansas Rules of Professional Conduct, state that a conflict of interest has arisen, making it necessary for Clifford to withdraw. The motions indicate Clifford has refunded any unused retainer funds and that Manson Sr. is actively seeking new legal representation. Clifford did not elaborate on the nature of the conflict due to rules protecting client confidences.
Six days after Clifford filed the withdrawal motions, deputies executed a search warrant at the Manson family's property on County Road 8054. Manson Sr., 56, of Yellville, was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail on July 30. Jail records list his charges as possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm by certain persons, and habitual offender status. Schedule VI in Arkansas law encompasses marijuana and THC products. He has since been released on a $50,000 bond. No formal case related to these new charges has yet been filed.
Without new attorneys entering an appearance, Manson Sr., Manson Jr., and Dezarae Manson remain unrepresented in their existing cases. A status hearing for all three defendants is scheduled for August 18 at the Marion County Courthouse.
Manson Jr., 35, faces multiple charges including rape, kidnapping, terroristic threatening, and firearms possession. His charges stem from two alleged assaults, including a 2025 allegation involving his 10-year-old stepdaughter. Prosecutors have also charged him with the alleged March 2026 rape of a second woman. Dezarae Manson, 19, is charged in connection with the latter case and faces counts of rape, sexual assault, and coercion.
The family’s legal struggles stretch back years. Both Manson men have prior felony convictions in Illinois. Court and law enforcement records suggest a history of complaints from neighbors and previous investigations by the Marion County Sheriff's Office prior to the family’s arrests earlier this year.
Rule 1.7 of the Arkansas Rules of Professional Conduct prohibits a lawyer from representing clients when a conflict exists that could impair their ability to provide competent and diligent counsel. While joint representation is permissible in some circumstances, conflicts often emerge when co-defendants' interests diverge, such as when defendants negotiate plea agreements or make statements implicating one another. Attorneys facing such conflicts are typically required to withdraw from all affected clients.
In this case, Clifford represented all three Mansons until filing his withdrawal motions. Records show no objections were raised by the Marion County Prosecuting Attorney's Office or Circuit Judge Andrew S. Bailey regarding the joint representation. However, Clifford’s filings mean any work he performed on the cases between March and July could become a point of contention during appellate review if any convictions result.
What caused the conflict remains unclear. Prosecutors have declined to comment on the case, and no significant developments have been filed in the court docket since July. Fresh representation will be required to review extensive case materials, delaying the progress of the already complex set of proceedings.