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Gavin Newsom again rejected release for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent over five decades in prison for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by the cult leader.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Months after the state parole panel found the 77-year-old fit for freedom, Newsom overturned the decision and stated that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unacceptable risk to the public if released from prison at this time.”

This marks the second time Newsom has blocked her parole, and the move was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who argued the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the record of her transformation or the danger she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the facts and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Crimes

Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the crimes.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. 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 offenses. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say my deep regret I am for all the pain and suffering that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”

Past Abuse and Reform

A 2017 investigation by the authorities found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by the cult leader, her attorney noted, stating that she has developed her “personal identity, independence, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

Newsom has previously denied release for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was freed from state custody in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.