California's Governor Rejects Parole for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate

The governor has once more denied release for the convicted inmate, who has served over half a century behind bars for her involvement in the notorious murders masterminded by the cult leader.

Parole Reversal Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the elderly fit for release, Newsom overturned the decision and declared that the inmate “currently represents an unacceptable risk to the public if freed from custody at this time.”

It was the second instance Newsom has blocked her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “politics over people” and failed to consider the abuse she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the evidence of her transformation or the danger she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, in opposition to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Background of the Crimes

The inmate was 21 when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the following night killed Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the crimes.

Life Behind Bars

In her decades behind bars – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, her attorney noted, which was one of the reasons the panel recommended her for release.

Krenwinkel has shown regret for her role in the offenses. Previously, she said: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.”

Past Abuse and Rehabilitation

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her lawyer said in a statement, adding that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Other Cases

Newsom has previously denied parole for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court reversed the governor’s decision to deny her release.