California's Governor Rejects Parole for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate
The governor again rejected release for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by the cult leader.
Parole Reversal Draws Criticism
Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the elderly suitable for freedom, Newsom reversed the decision and declared that the inmate “currently represents an unreasonable danger to the public if released from prison at this time.”
It was the second time the governor has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who claimed the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she endured from Manson.
“The governor's decision of Pat’s grant has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the danger she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”
Background of the Murders
The inmate was 21 when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of murder charges for their roles in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
In her decades behind bars – she is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team stated. She has obtained higher education and her behavior record is clean, her attorney noted, which was one of the reasons the parole board supported her parole.
Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”
Previous Mistreatment and Reform
An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by the cult leader, her lawyer noted, adding that she has found her “own identity, independence, and ethical guidance”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously blocked parole for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was freed from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals reversed the governor's ruling to deny her release.
