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Gavin Newsom has once more denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent more than half a century in prison for her role in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by the cult leader.

Parole Reversal Draws Criticism

Nearly five months after California’s parole board deemed the 77-year-old suitable for release, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that the inmate “currently represents an unreasonable danger to the public if released from prison at this time.”

It was the second instance the governor has blocked her release, and the move was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor opted for “politics over people” and failed to consider the mistreatment she suffered from Manson.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the evidence of how much she’s changed or the danger she presents,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Background of the Murders

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers committed the murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the crimes.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – she is California’s longest serving female prisoner – she has reformed, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is clean, legal counsel said, which was one of the reasons the parole board recommended her for release.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her role in the crimes. Previously, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”

Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation

A 2017 investigation by the parole board found she endured abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, stating that she has found her “personal identity, independence, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

The governor has previously denied parole for other former Manson followers. Another follower was freed from California prison in recent years after over five decades when a state appeals court reversed the governor's ruling to deny her release.