🔗 Share this article California's Governor Again Denies Parole for Manson Follower Patricia Krenwinkel The governor again refused parole for the convicted inmate, who has spent over half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by the cult leader. Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash Months after the state parole panel found the elderly fit for release, the governor overturned the ruling and declared that the inmate “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time.” This marks the second instance the governor has blocked her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from her legal representative, who argued the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the abuse she endured from the cult figure. “Newsom’s reversal of Pat’s grant has nothing to do with the evidence of her transformation or the danger she presents,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It's entirely political, directly contrary to the facts and the controlling law.” Background of the Murders The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson cult committed the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of multiple counts of murder charges for their roles in the attack. Life Behind Bars In her decades behind bars – Krenwinkel is California’s longest serving incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. She has earned college degrees and her conduct is spotless, her attorney said, which was a key factor the panel supported her parole. Krenwinkel has shown regret for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, she said: “I wish to express my deep regret I am for the harm and anguish that I caused when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to make amends … [and] work toward self-improvement.” Past Abuse and Reform A 2017 investigation by the parole board found she experienced abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney noted, stating that she has found her “personal identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”. Other Cases The governor has previously denied parole for other former Manson followers. Another follower was freed from California prison in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals reversed the governor's ruling to block her parole.