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Gavin Newsom again rejected parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served over five decades in prison for her involvement in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by the cult leader.

Governor's Decision Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old fit for release, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that the inmate “currently poses an unacceptable risk to society if released from prison at this time.”

This marks the second time Newsom has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she suffered from the cult figure.

“The governor's decision of Pat’s grant has nothing to do with the record of how much she’s changed or the risk she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Background of the Murders

Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of seven counts of murder charges for their involvement in the crimes.

Life Behind Bars

In her decades behind bars – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. She has earned college degrees and her behavior record is spotless, legal counsel said, which was one of the reasons the parole board supported her parole.

The inmate has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. Previously, she said: “I wish to express my deep regret I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment and Reform

A 2017 investigation by the parole board revealed she experienced abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, adding that she has developed her “own identity, independence, and moral compass”.

Similar Instances

Newsom has previously blocked release for other cult members. Another follower was released from state custody in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.