California's Governor Rejects Parole for Cult Member Patricia Krenwinkel
The governor again rejected parole for the convicted inmate, who has served over five decades in prison for her involvement in the notorious murders masterminded by the cult leader.
Governor's Decision Draws Backlash
Months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old fit for freedom, the governor reversed the decision and stated that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unacceptable risk to the public if freed from custody at this time.”
This marks the second instance Newsom has blocked her parole, and the move was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who claimed the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the abuse she suffered from the cult figure.
“The governor's decision of her parole approval has no connection to the record of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated her attorney, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the governing regulations.”
Background of the Crimes
The inmate was 21 when the Manson cult committed the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the attack.
Prison Transformation
In her decades behind bars – she is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team have reported. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, her attorney said, which was a key factor the panel supported her parole.
Krenwinkel has shown regret for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.”
Previous Mistreatment and Reform
A 2017 investigation by the authorities revealed she endured abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, stating that she has developed her “personal identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously denied parole for other Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.
