California's Governor Blocks Early Release for Cult Member Longtime Inmate

The governor has once more denied parole for the convicted inmate, who has served over five decades in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by the cult leader.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old fit for freedom, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if freed from prison at this time.”

This marks the second instance the governor has blocked her parole, and the move was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the abuse she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the evidence of her transformation or the danger she presents,” said Keith Wattley, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Murders

Krenwinkel was twenty-one when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has reformed, supporters and attorneys have reported. She has obtained higher education and her behavior record is clean, legal counsel 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 the harm and anguish that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”

Past Abuse and Rehabilitation

An earlier inquiry by the authorities found she endured abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Other Cases

The governor has previously denied parole for other Manson followers. Another follower was freed from state custody in recent years after 53 years when a court of appeals overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.