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The governor again denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent more than five decades behind bars for her involvement in the 1969 murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Parole Reversal Draws Backlash

Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for freedom, the governor overturned the ruling and stated that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if released from custody at this time.”

It was the second time the governor has prevented her release, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the mistreatment she endured from Manson.

“The governor's decision 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, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, in opposition to the facts and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Murders

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer 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 roles in the attack.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her behavior record is spotless, her attorney said, which was one of the reasons the panel recommended her for release.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her role in the crimes. In 2022, she said: “I wish to express 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 make amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.”

Previous Mistreatment and Reform

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she experienced physical, emotional and sexual violence by the cult leader, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has found her “own identity, independence, and ethical guidance”.

Other Cases

The governor has previously denied release for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was freed from state custody in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court reversed the governor’s decision to deny her release.