The controversy about Charles Manson is about whether or not he's responsible for The Family's murders, not about whether or not he's a criminal. If I recall correctly, quite a few counts of robbery, auto theft, rape, pimping, and of course, scientology.
But that's not why his singer-songwriter career was messed up, it was messed up because he was a mediocre songwriter and a godawful singer.
I adore Thriller and Dark Side of the Moon. Back in Black, on the other hand... better than The Bodyguard, but not by all that much.