🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom has once more rejected parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than half a century behind bars for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Draws Backlash

Months after the state parole panel found the 77-year-old suitable for release, the governor overturned the decision and declared that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unacceptable risk to society if freed from prison at this time.”

It was the second time the governor has prevented her parole, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from her legal representative, who argued the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the abuse she suffered from the cult figure.

“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the record of her transformation or the risk she poses,” said Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the facts and the controlling law.”

Background of the Crimes

Krenwinkel was twenty-one when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the following night killed grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. In 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of murder charges for their roles in the attack.

Prison Transformation

Over many years behind bars – she is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has turned her life around, friends and her legal team have reported. Krenwinkel has earned college degrees and her behavior record is spotless, her attorney noted, which was a key factor the parole board recommended her for release.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for the harm and anguish that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation

A 2017 investigation by the parole board revealed she experienced abuse in multiple forms by Charles Manson, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”.

Other Cases

The governor has previously denied parole for other Manson followers. Another follower was released from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a state appeals court reversed the governor's ruling to block her parole.