Manson family member Patricia Krenwinkel — who broke into the home of a Los Angeles grocer, stabbed him and wrote “Helter Skelter,” “Rise” and “Death to Pigs” on the walls with his blood — has been denied parole by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Krenwinkel, 77, was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for participating in the Manson family slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others during a two-day killing spree in 1969. In May, the California Parole Board granted her parole, but this week Newsom overruled that decision, stating that she still poses an unreasonable danger to society.
Krenwinkel has appeared before the Parole Board 16 times over the course of her 56 years in custody, which makes her the longest-serving female inmate in California. She was initially sentenced to death, but that was reduced to a life sentence when the California Supreme Court overturned all death sentences prior to 1972.
Krenwinkel’s attorney Keith Wattley argued that she should be released because she has taken full responsibility for her actions, is not dangerous and has never had a rule violation during her nearly six decades behind bars.
“She’s had nine different and consecutive evaluations from the California Parole Board in which their psychologists for the past 40 years have concluded that she’s at low risk of future violence, and California law requires that people who are no longer at risk must be granted parole,” he said in an Oct. 1 statement urging Newsom to uphold the Parole Board’s decision.
Wattley said that should Newsom overturn her parole, the decision would “be purely political, have nothing to do with the evidence, and will be directly contrary to the law.”
On Tuesday, Newsom acknowledged Krenwinkel’s efforts to improve herself in prison, such as her excellent disciplinary history and earning of college degrees. However, he concluded in his written decision that “these mitigating factors are outweighed by negative factors that bear on her risk for future dangerousness.”
Krenwinkel was previously granted parole in 2022, but Newsom also overruled that decision due to concerns about the threat she poses.
Krenwinkel admitted in court to stabbing coffee heiress Abigail Folger 28 times when she and fellow members of Charles Manson’s cult broke into the home of Tate and Roman Polanski and murdered five people inside. The following day, she and fellow Manson followers broke into the home of grocery executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, and slayed the couple.
Other former Manson family members, including Charles Denton “Tex” Watson, Robert Kenneth Beausoleil, and Bruce Davis, remain in custody in California state prisons.
Former Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, however, was granted parole in 2023 and released, after holding what many described as an exemplary record for decades behind bars. Newsom had denied a previous decision to grant Van Houten parole but was overruled by an appellate court.
Times staff writer Salvador Hernandez and City News Service contributed to this report.
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