California's Governor Again Denies Early Release for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate
The governor again denied release for the convicted inmate, who has served over five decades in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by Charles Manson.
Governor's Decision Sparks Criticism
Months after the state parole panel found the elderly fit for release, Newsom reversed the decision and declared that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unreasonable danger to the public if freed from prison at this time.”
This marks the second time the governor 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 overlooked the abuse she endured from Manson.
“The governor's decision of her parole approval has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the danger she poses,” stated her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the facts and the governing regulations.”
Background of the Crimes
Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
Over many years in prison – she is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team have reported. She has obtained higher education and her conduct is spotless, her attorney said, which was a key factor the panel recommended her for release.
The inmate has shown regret for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she said: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”
Past Abuse and Rehabilitation
A 2017 investigation by the authorities found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by the cult leader, her lawyer said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.
Similar Instances
The governor has previously denied parole for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was freed from state custody in 2023 after 53 years when a state appeals court reversed the governor’s decision to block her parole.