Gavin Newsom Blocks Parole for Cult Member Longtime Inmate
The governor again refused parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has spent over half a century behind bars for her role in the 1969 murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.
Parole Reversal Sparks Criticism
Months after the state parole panel found the 77-year-old fit for freedom, the governor reversed the decision and declared that Krenwinkel “currently represents an unacceptable risk to the public if released from prison at this time.”
It was the second time the governor has blocked her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “political motives over human considerations” and overlooked the mistreatment she suffered from the cult figure.
“Newsom’s reversal of her parole approval has no connection to the record of how much she’s changed or the danger she presents,” stated Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the governing regulations.”
Case History of the Crimes
The inmate was twenty-one when the Manson's followers carried out the killings of actor Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the next evening murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. In 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the attack.
Life Behind Bars
In her decades in prison – 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 clean, legal counsel noted, which was a key factor the panel supported her parole.
The inmate has shown regret for her role in the crimes. Previously, she said: “I wish to express my deep regret I am for all the pain and suffering that I created when I ended the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] focus on self-improvement.”
Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation
A 2017 investigation by the parole board found she endured abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her attorney said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, independence, and moral compass”.
Other Cases
Newsom has previously blocked release for other cult members. Leslie Van Houten was released from state custody in 2023 after 53 years when a court of appeals reversed the governor's ruling to deny her release.
