Patricia Krenwinkel, Manson Follower, Again Recommended for Parole
The 78-year-old former Charles Manson follower has been granted a parole suitability hearing, a decision that will undergo further review.
Patricia Krenwinkel, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson, has once again been recommended for parole, officials confirmed. Krenwinkel, 78, received a preliminary grant of parole at her 18th suitability hearing on Tuesday.
Her case now awaits a comprehensive review by the Board of Parole Hearings and a subsequent 30-day review period by the governor. All parole grants are considered proposed decisions until this review process is complete.
Krenwinkel is serving a life sentence for her involvement in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders. She was convicted in 1971 of seven counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Steven Parent, Leno LaBianca, and Rosemary LaBianca. Initially sentenced to death, her sentence was commuted to life in prison.
This is not the first time Krenwinkel has been recommended for parole. A parole board panel also recommended her release in May 2022. However, then-Governor Gavin Newsom reversed that decision in October 2022, stating that while he acknowledged her self-improvement efforts in prison, including earning degrees and maintaining a good disciplinary record, she still posed an unreasonable danger to society.
California law requires parole commissioners to assess whether an incarcerated individual presents an unreasonable risk to public safety. This assessment involves various factors, including risk-assessment tools, psychological evaluations, prison records, parole plans, and victim impact statements.
If the governor reverses the preliminary parole grant, Krenwinkel would be eligible for another hearing within 18 months of Tuesday's decision. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation oversees this process. The preliminary decision is subject to a 120-day review by the Board of Parole Hearings, followed by a 30-day governor's review if the case involves a murder conviction.