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Gavin Newsom has once more denied parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent over half a century in prison for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Draws Backlash

Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old fit for freedom, the governor overturned the decision and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unacceptable risk 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 strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who argued the governor opted for “politics over people” and overlooked the abuse she endured from Manson.

“The governor's decision of her parole approval has nothing to do with the record of her transformation or the risk she poses,” said her attorney, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the evidence and the controlling law.”

Case History of the Crimes

The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult committed the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of multiple counts of murder charges for their roles in the crimes.

Life Behind Bars

In her decades in prison – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has reformed, supporters and attorneys have reported. She has earned college degrees and her behavior record is spotless, legal counsel said, which was a key factor the parole board recommended her for release.

The inmate has shown regret 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 caused when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”

Past Abuse and Reform

A 2017 investigation by the authorities found she endured abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her lawyer said in a statement, adding that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Similar Instances

Newsom has previously denied parole for other former cult members. Leslie Van Houten was released from state custody in recent years after 53 years when a court of appeals reversed the governor’s decision to block her parole.