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The governor has once more denied release for the convicted inmate, who has spent more than half a century in prison for her role in the 1969 murders orchestrated by Charles Manson.

Governor's Decision Sparks Backlash

Months after the state parole panel deemed the 77-year-old fit for freedom, Newsom reversed the decision and declared that the inmate “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if freed from custody at this time.”

This marks the second time the governor has prevented her release, and the decision was met with strong opposition from Krenwinkel’s longtime attorney, who claimed the governor chose “politics over people” and overlooked the mistreatment she suffered from the cult figure.

“The governor's decision of Pat’s grant has no connection to the evidence of how much she’s changed or the risk she presents,” stated her attorney, her legal counsel. “It is 100% political, directly contrary to the facts and the governing regulations.”

Case History of the Murders

Krenwinkel was 21 when the Manson's followers committed the killings of actor Sharon Tate and several others, among them heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, and the following night murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his spouse, Rosemary. By 1971, she and other Manson followers were convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder for their involvement in the crimes.

Prison Transformation

In her decades in prison – she is the state's most senior incarcerated woman – she has reformed, friends and her legal team have reported. She has obtained higher education and her conduct is clean, legal counsel said, which was one of the reasons the parole board recommended her for release.

Krenwinkel has expressed remorse for her actions in the offenses. Previously, she stated: “I want to say how terribly sorry I am for all the pain and suffering that I caused when I took the lives that I did … I try every day to live amends … [and] work toward being a better person.”

Previous Mistreatment and Reform

An earlier inquiry by the parole board found she endured physical, emotional and sexual violence by Charles Manson, her attorney noted, adding that she has developed her “own identity, self-reliance, and ethical guidance”.

Other Cases

Newsom has previously denied release for other Manson followers. Leslie Van Houten was released from California prison in 2023 after over five decades when a state appeals court overturned the governor’s decision to block her parole.