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Gavin Newsom again rejected parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served more than five decades in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by the cult leader.

Governor's Decision Sparks Criticism

Months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old suitable for release, the governor overturned the ruling and declared that the inmate “currently poses an unreasonable danger to the public if released from custody at this time.”

It was the second time Newsom has blocked her release, and the move was met with sharp criticism from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the mistreatment she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the record of her transformation or the danger she poses,” said her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Background of the Crimes

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack.

Prison Transformation

In her decades behind bars – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is spotless, her attorney noted, which was a key factor the panel supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she stated: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”

Past Abuse and Rehabilitation

An earlier inquiry by the authorities revealed she experienced abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, independence, and ethical guidance”.

Similar Instances

The governor has previously denied parole for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was freed from state custody in recent years after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.