🔗 Share this article

The governor has once more refused parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent over five decades in prison for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Parole Reversal Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old fit for freedom, the governor overturned the ruling and declared that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from custody at this time.”

It was the second instance Newsom has blocked her release, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who claimed the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the mistreatment she suffered from Manson.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the record of how much she’s changed or the danger she presents,” stated her attorney, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Background of the Crimes

The inmate was 21 when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actress Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the crimes.

Life Behind Bars

Over many years in prison – she is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team have reported. She has earned college degrees and her conduct is spotless, her attorney said, which was one of the reasons the panel recommended her for release.

The inmate has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she said: “I want to say my deep regret I am for all the pain and suffering 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

A 2017 investigation by the authorities found she experienced abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney said in a statement, adding that she has developed her “own identity, independence, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

Newsom has previously denied release for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in recent years after over five decades when a court of appeals reversed the governor's ruling to deny her release.