Gavin Newsom Blocks Parole for Cult Member Longtime Inmate
Gavin Newsom has once more denied parole for the convicted inmate, who has served over half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 murders masterminded by the cult leader.
Parole Reversal Draws Backlash
Months after California’s parole board deemed the elderly fit for freedom, Newsom overturned the ruling and declared that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unreasonable danger to society if released from custody at this time.”
It was the second time the governor has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the abuse she suffered from the cult figure.
“The governor's decision of Pat’s grant has no connection to the evidence of how much she’s changed or the risk she poses,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the controlling law.”
Case History of the Murders
The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers carried out the murders of actor Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night killed Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the crimes.
Prison Transformation
In her decades behind bars – she is California’s longest serving female prisoner – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is clean, her attorney noted, which was a key factor the panel recommended her for release.
Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her role in the offenses. Previously, she said: “I wish to express how terribly sorry 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] focus on self-improvement.”
Past Abuse and Reform
A 2017 investigation by the parole board revealed she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.
Other Cases
The governor has previously denied release for other former cult members. Another follower was released from California prison in 2023 after over five decades when a court of appeals reversed the governor's ruling to block her parole.
