🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom has once more refused release for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served over five decades behind bars for her role in the 1969 murders masterminded by the cult leader.

Governor's Decision Sparks Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the elderly suitable for release, Newsom overturned the ruling and stated that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unacceptable risk to the public if released from prison at this time.”

This marks the second instance the governor has blocked her release, and the move was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “politics over people” and failed to consider the mistreatment she suffered from the cult figure.

“The governor's decision of her parole approval has no connection to the evidence of her transformation or the danger she presents,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Murders

Krenwinkel was twenty-one when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actress Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the crimes.

Prison Transformation

In her decades behind bars – she is California’s longest serving female prisoner – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her conduct is clean, her attorney noted, which was a key factor the panel supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has shown regret for her actions in the crimes. Previously, she said: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I created when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to make amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation

A 2017 investigation by the parole board revealed she endured abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney said in a statement, adding that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

Newsom has previously denied parole for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in recent years after 53 years when a state appeals court overturned the governor's ruling to block her parole.