Gavin Newsom Blocks Parole for Manson Follower Patricia Krenwinkel
Gavin Newsom again refused parole for the convicted inmate, who has served more than five decades in prison for her involvement in the notorious murders masterminded by Charles Manson.
Parole Reversal Sparks Criticism
Months after the state parole panel found the elderly fit for freedom, Newsom reversed the ruling and stated that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unacceptable risk to the public if freed from prison at this time.”
It was the second instance Newsom has blocked her parole, and the move was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who claimed the governor opted for “politics over people” and failed to consider the abuse she suffered from the cult figure.
“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the danger she presents,” said Keith Wattley, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the controlling law.”
Case History of the Crimes
Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of seven counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the attack.
Prison Transformation
In her decades in prison – she is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. She has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, legal counsel said, which was a key factor the parole board recommended her for release.
Krenwinkel has shown regret for her role in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say my deep regret I am for all the pain and suffering that I created when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.”
Past Abuse and Reform
A 2017 investigation 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 developed her “own identity, independence, and ethical guidance”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously denied parole for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was released from state custody in recent years after 53 years when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.