Former Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel granted parole for a third time

Patricia Krenwinkel, a onetime follower of Charles Manson, was granted parole on Tuesday after almost six decades behind bars. She took part in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings in Los Angeles.

California's board of parole hearings has now found the 78-year-old suitable for release three times. After each of the previous two decisions, Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the board and refused her freedom. Her lawyers are now asking him to let this ruling stand.

The crimes and conviction

Krenwinkel was 21 when the murders took place. She was convicted in 1971 for her part in a violent spree over two nights. The victims were actor Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, four of her friends, and grocery store owner Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary. The killings became among the most notorious crime stories in the United States.

She has been imprisoned longer than any other woman in California. Her attorneys say she was 19 when she came under Manson's control and that he exploited and psychologically abused her.

Lawyer and board assessments

Her longtime attorney, Keith Wattley, said in a statement that Krenwinkel fully accepts responsibility for her actions and does not minimize the harm she caused. According to him, she has kept a clean disciplinary record, and nine consecutive psychological evaluations over the last 40 years have rated her a low public safety risk. He said she has taken part in extensive therapy and group counseling, earned a college degree and trained service dogs for people with disabilities.

The parole board has repeatedly recognized her rehabilitation and concluded that, in her old age, she would not endanger society. Sharon Tate's sister, Debra Tate, has repeatedly objected to the release of Krenwinkel and other Manson followers.

Newsom's earlier decisions

In 2022 Newsom acknowledged that Krenwinkel was a victim of Manson's abuse and had matured in prison, but argued that she lacked sufficient insight into the causes of her crime and remained dangerous. In 2025 he noted that her serious chronic medical conditions had weakened her, yet said she needed to deepen her insight further.

The governor must take into account both her age and the fact that she committed the crime as a youth. Newsom's spokespeople had not responded to an inquiry at the time of publication.