🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom again refused release for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served more than five decades in prison for her role in the 1969 murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Parole Reversal Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for release, the governor reversed the decision and declared that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time.”

This marks the second instance the governor has prevented her release, and the move was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the mistreatment she suffered from Manson.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the evidence of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Background of the Murders

Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson cult committed the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the following night murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the crimes.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – Krenwinkel is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has reformed, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her conduct is spotless, her attorney said, which was a key factor the panel recommended her for release.

The inmate has shown regret for her role in the offenses. In 2022, she said: “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 try every day to make amends … [and] work toward 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 attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “personal identity, independence, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

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