Gavin Newsom Blocks Parole for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate
Gavin Newsom has once more denied parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than half a century behind bars for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.
Parole Reversal Sparks Backlash
Months after California’s parole board deemed the elderly suitable for release, Newsom reversed the ruling and stated that the inmate “currently represents an unacceptable risk to the public if freed from prison 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 chose “politics over people” and failed to consider the mistreatment she suffered from the cult figure.
“The governor's decision of Pat’s grant has no connection to the record of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the facts and the controlling law.”
Background of the Crimes
Krenwinkel was twenty-one when the Manson cult carried out the murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were found guilty of multiple counts of murder charges for their involvement in the attack.
Prison Transformation
In her decades in prison – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys stated. She has earned college degrees and her conduct is clean, her attorney said, which was a key factor the parole board recommended her for release.
Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. Previously, 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] work toward being a better person.”
Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation
An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her lawyer said in a statement, stating that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.
Other Cases
The governor has previously denied release for other former cult members. Another follower was released from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals overturned the governor's ruling to block her parole.
