California's Governor Rejects Early Release for Cult Member Patricia Krenwinkel
Gavin Newsom has once more denied parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.
Parole Reversal Sparks Backlash
Months after the state parole panel deemed the 77-year-old fit for freedom, the governor overturned the decision and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unreasonable danger to the public if freed from custody at this time.”
It was the second instance Newsom has blocked her parole, and the move was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who argued the governor chose “politics over people” and overlooked the mistreatment she endured 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 presents,” said her attorney, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the governing regulations.”
Background of the Murders
The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actress Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were found guilty of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
In her decades behind bars – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is spotless, her attorney noted, which was one of the reasons the parole board supported her parole.
The inmate has expressed remorse for her role in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”
Past Abuse and Reform
An earlier inquiry by the authorities found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her lawyer noted, adding that she has found her “own identity, independence, and moral compass”.
Similar Instances
Newsom has previously denied release for other Manson followers. Another follower was freed from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals overturned the governor's ruling to block her parole.
