Gavin Newsom Again Denies Parole for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate
Gavin Newsom again rejected release for the convicted inmate, who has spent over five decades behind bars for her involvement in the notorious murders masterminded by Charles Manson.
Governor's Decision Sparks Criticism
Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for release, the governor overturned the decision and declared that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if freed from custody at this time.”
It was the second instance the governor has prevented her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor opted for “politics over people” and overlooked the mistreatment she suffered from the cult figure.
“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the evidence of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”
Background of the Crimes
The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult carried out the murders of actor Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
Over many years behind bars – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, her attorney said, which was a key factor the parole board supported her parole.
Krenwinkel has shown regret for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say my deep regret I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to make amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”
Previous Mistreatment and Reform
A 2017 investigation by the parole board found she experienced abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her lawyer noted, stating that she has found her “personal identity, independence, and moral compass”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously denied parole for other former Manson followers. Another follower was released from state custody in recent years after over five decades when a court of appeals reversed the governor’s decision to deny her release.
