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Gavin Newsom has once more rejected release for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served more than half a century in prison for her role in the notorious murders orchestrated by the cult leader.

Parole Reversal Sparks Backlash

Months after California’s parole board found the elderly suitable for release, the governor overturned the decision and stated that the inmate “currently represents an unreasonable danger to the public 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 the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has no connection to the record of her transformation or the danger she poses,” said her attorney, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Crimes

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult committed the murders of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were found guilty of seven counts of murder charges for their roles in the attack.

Life Behind Bars

In her decades behind bars – she is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is spotless, her attorney noted, which was one of the reasons the panel supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the crimes. In 2022, she stated: “I wish to express how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I strive daily to live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment 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 developed her “personal identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.

Similar Instances

Newsom has previously blocked parole for other Manson followers. Another follower was freed from state custody in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to deny her release.