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Gavin Newsom has once more rejected parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent over five decades behind bars for her involvement in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old fit for freedom, Newsom reversed the decision and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unacceptable risk to society if released from custody at this time.”

It was the second time Newsom has prevented her parole, and the move was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who argued the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the mistreatment she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has nothing to do with the record of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated her attorney, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, in opposition to the facts and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Crimes

The inmate was twenty-one 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 following night killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of murder charges for their involvement in the attack.

Life Behind Bars

Over many years behind bars – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has reformed, friends and her legal team have reported. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her behavior record is clean, her attorney said, which was a key factor the parole board supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her role in the offenses. Previously, she stated: “I wish to express my deep regret I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to make amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Past Abuse and Rehabilitation

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Similar Instances

The governor has previously denied release for other cult members. Another follower was freed from state custody in recent years after over five decades when a court of appeals overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.