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Gavin Newsom again denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served more than half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Nearly five months after the state parole panel found the 77-year-old fit for release, Newsom overturned the decision and stated that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if released from custody at this time.”

This marks the second instance Newsom has blocked her release, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who claimed the governor opted for “politics over people” and failed to consider the mistreatment she suffered from Manson.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the record of how much she’s changed or the risk she poses,” stated her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It is 100% political, in opposition to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Crimes

Krenwinkel was twenty-one when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were found guilty of seven counts of murder charges for their involvement in the crimes.

Life Behind Bars

Over many years in prison – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team stated. She has earned college degrees and her conduct is clean, her attorney said, which was one of the reasons the panel supported her parole.

The inmate has shown regret for her role in the crimes. Previously, she said: “I want to say my deep regret I am for all the pain and suffering that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Past Abuse and Reform

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

Similar Instances

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