California's Governor Blocks Parole for Manson Follower Patricia Krenwinkel

The governor has once more denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served over half a century in prison for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for freedom, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if released from custody at this time.”

This marks the second instance Newsom has prevented her parole, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “politics over people” and overlooked the abuse she endured from the cult figure.

“The governor's decision of her parole approval has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the risk she presents,” stated her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the facts and the governing regulations.”

Background of the Crimes

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult carried out the murders of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of murder charges for their involvement in the attack.

Prison Transformation

In her decades behind bars – Krenwinkel is California’s longest serving female prisoner – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys stated. She has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, her attorney noted, which was a key factor the parole board supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has shown regret for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”

Past Abuse and Reform

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she experienced abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney noted, adding that she has developed her “personal identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.

Similar Instances

The governor has previously blocked release for other former Manson followers. Another follower was released from state custody in recent years after 53 years when a state appeals court reversed the governor's ruling to block her parole.