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Gavin Newsom has once more rejected release for the convicted inmate, who has served more than five decades behind bars for her role in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by Charles Manson.

Parole Reversal Sparks Backlash

Nearly five months after California’s parole board found the 77-year-old suitable for release, the governor overturned the ruling and stated that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unacceptable risk to the public if freed from prison at this time.”

This marks the second instance the governor has prevented her parole, and the decision was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who claimed the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the mistreatment she endured from Manson.

“The governor's decision of her parole approval has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the risk she poses,” said Keith Wattley, Krenwinkel’s attorney. “It's entirely political, in opposition to the evidence and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Murders

The inmate was 21 when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were found guilty of seven counts of murder charges for their involvement in the attack.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – Krenwinkel is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has turned her life around, supporters and attorneys have reported. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is spotless, legal counsel said, which was a key factor the parole board supported her parole.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her role in the crimes. Previously, 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 try every day to make amends … [and] focus on being a better person.”

Past Abuse and Reform

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney noted, stating that she has found her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Similar Instances

Newsom has previously blocked parole for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was freed from state custody in recent years after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor's ruling to deny her release.