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Gavin Newsom has once more refused parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent over five decades behind bars for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Parole Reversal Draws Backlash

Months after the state parole panel found the elderly suitable for release, the governor reversed the ruling and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unacceptable risk to society if freed from prison at this time.”

It was the second instance Newsom has prevented her release, 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 overlooked the mistreatment she endured from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the risk she poses,” stated her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Crimes

Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson's followers carried out the murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the crimes.

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 conduct is spotless, legal counsel said, which was one of the reasons the panel recommended her for release.

The inmate has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she said: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.”

Past Abuse and Rehabilitation

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

Similar Instances

The governor has previously denied release for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a state appeals court overturned the governor's ruling to deny her release.