🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom again 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 Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Months after California’s parole board found the elderly fit for release, the governor overturned the ruling and stated that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time.”

This marks the second time the governor has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she endured from Manson.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the record of how much she’s changed or the danger she poses,” stated her attorney, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Crimes

The inmate was 21 when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the attack.

Life Behind Bars

In her decades in prison – Krenwinkel is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her conduct is spotless, legal counsel said, which was a key factor the parole board recommended her for release.

The inmate has expressed remorse for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry 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] focus on being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation

An earlier inquiry by the authorities revealed she experienced abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Similar Instances

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