Gavin Newsom Blocks Parole for Cult Member Patricia Krenwinkel
The governor again rejected parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than five decades behind bars for her role in the notorious murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.
Governor's Decision Draws Criticism
Months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for freedom, Newsom reversed the ruling and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unacceptable risk to the public if released from prison at this time.”
It was the second instance the governor has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she endured from Manson.
“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the evidence of how much she’s changed or the danger she poses,” said her attorney, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, in opposition to the evidence and the governing regulations.”
Background of the Murders
The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult committed the murders of actress Sharon Tate and several others, including socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
In her decades behind bars – Krenwinkel is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is clean, her attorney said, which was one of the reasons the parole board supported her parole.
Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she said: “I want to say my deep regret I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”
Previous Mistreatment and Reform
A 2017 investigation by the parole board revealed she experienced physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, adding that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously blocked release for other Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from state custody in recent years after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor's ruling to block her parole.
