🔗 Share this article California's Governor Blocks Parole for Cult Member Longtime Inmate Gavin Newsom has once more rejected release for Patricia Krenwinkel, who has served over half a century behind bars for her involvement in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings masterminded by the cult leader. Parole Reversal Sparks Criticism Months after California’s parole board found the elderly fit for release, Newsom reversed the decision and stated that the inmate “currently poses an unreasonable danger to the public if freed from custody at this time.” This marks the second instance Newsom has blocked her parole, and the decision was met with sharp criticism from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor opted for “political motives over human considerations” and failed to consider the mistreatment she endured from Manson. “The governor's decision of her parole approval has nothing to do with the evidence of how much she’s changed or the risk she presents,” said Keith Wattley, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the controlling law.” Background of the Crimes The inmate was 21 when the Manson cult carried out the killings of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including socialite Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring, and the following night murdered Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and fellow cult members were convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for their roles in the attack. Prison Transformation Over many years in prison – she is the state's most senior female prisoner – she has reformed, friends and her legal team stated. Krenwinkel has obtained higher education and her conduct is spotless, her attorney said, which was one of the reasons the parole board recommended her for release. Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the offenses. In 2022, 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 live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.” Previous Mistreatment and Rehabilitation A 2017 investigation by the authorities revealed she endured abuse in multiple forms by the cult leader, her lawyer said in a statement, stating that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and moral compass”. Similar Instances The governor has previously blocked release for other former Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in recent years after 53 years when a court of appeals overturned the governor’s decision to block her parole.