Manson Follower Patricia Krenwinkel Recommended for Parole

Patricia Krenwinkel, a former follower of Charles Manson who was convicted of participating in the 1969 murders of seven people, has been granted parole on a preliminary basis. The decision, announced Tuesday by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, now moves to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom for final approval.

Krenwinkel, 78, has served 56 years of her sentence for her role in the Tate-LaBianca murders. The parole board's proposed decision must undergo a review by the Board of Parole Hearings' legal office before it is sent to Newsom, who has 30 days to decide whether to uphold or reverse the recommendation.

Last year, Newsom exercised his authority to prevent Krenwinkel's release, stating she had not demonstrated sufficient insight into the causes of her crimes. Prosecutors with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office have indicated they will again urge the governor to keep Krenwinkel incarcerated.

Should Newsom deny parole, Krenwinkel would be eligible for another hearing within 18 months.

Krenwinkel, currently the longest-serving female inmate in California, joined the Manson Family as a teenager. The group was responsible for a series of murders in Los Angeles in August 1969, including that of actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, and her friends Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent. Krenwinkel has testified that she chased Folger and stabbed her multiple times, and admitted to using the victims' blood to write messages on the walls of the house. The following night, Manson and other followers, including Krenwinkel, murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary.

Initially sentenced to death, Krenwinkel's sentence was commuted to life in prison after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972. She and co-defendants Leslie Van Houten and Susan Atkins were notably seen with an 'X' carved into their foreheads in court, a symbol adopted by Manson.

Debra Tate, Sharon Tate's sister, has been a vocal opponent of Krenwinkel's parole, citing Krenwinkel's admission of carving 'WAR' into Leno LaBianca's stomach and her past lack of remorse. Tate argues that Krenwinkel's actions were not solely dictated by Manson and that society should not allow her release.

Krenwinkel's attorneys, from UnCommon Law, contend that she has undergone extensive therapy and counseling to address her past trauma and abuse by Manson, whom they describe as manipulative. They argue she was a vulnerable teenager exploited by Manson through drugs and psychological abuse. "At a time when parole decisions are increasingly compromised by politics, this finding offers a glimmer of hope: Proof that the Board can uphold the law, recognize decades of rehabilitation and make decisions grounded in evidence," stated lawyer Keith Wattley, urging the governor to respect the board's decision.

Newsom's decision comes years after an appellate court overruled his previous denial of parole for Leslie Van Houten. Other Manson Family members, including Charles Denton 'Tex' Watson and Bobby Beausoleil, remain incarcerated, while Manson, Susan Atkins, and Bruce Davis have died in custody.