Gavin Newsom Rejects Early Release for Manson Follower Longtime Inmate
Gavin Newsom again refused parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent over half a century behind bars for her involvement in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by Charles Manson.
Parole Reversal Draws Criticism
Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for release, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unacceptable risk to society if freed from prison at this time.”
It was the second instance the governor has blocked her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who claimed the governor chose “politics over people” and failed to consider the mistreatment she endured from the cult figure.
“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has nothing to do with the record of how much she’s changed or the danger she poses,” said her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the controlling law.”
Case History of the Murders
The inmate was 21 when the Manson cult carried out the murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of seven counts of murder charges for their involvement in the attack.
Prison Transformation
Over many years in prison – she is California’s longest serving female prisoner – she has reformed, supporters and attorneys stated. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her conduct is clean, legal counsel said, which was one of the reasons the parole board supported her parole.
Krenwinkel has shown regret for her role in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”
Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation
An earlier inquiry by the authorities found she experienced abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her lawyer noted, stating that she has developed her “own identity, independence, and ethical guidance”.
Other Cases
The governor has previously blocked release for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was freed from California prison in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court reversed the governor's ruling to deny her release.
