California governor reverses parole for Manson follower — again
Leslie Van Houten, a Charles Manson follower who has been imprisoned for almost five decades, will not be leaving any time soon, California Gov. Gavin Newsom ruled Saturday.
Van Houten, 69, had been recommended for parole in July, but still needed Newsom’s approval for her release, the Associated Press reported. She is serving a life sentence.
Newsom’s decision marks the fourth time that a California governor has overruled the parole board in Van Houten’s case. Ex-Gov. Jerry Brown denied her release twice, with Newsom first following his lead in 2019.
Van Houten’s lawyer vowed to appeal the ruling, according to the AP. He said Newsom’s second denial of Van Houten’s parole proves that he’ll never permit her release.
Van Houten was 19 when she and other Manson cult followers murdered Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in Los Angeles. The killing of the wealthy grocers came a day after the murder of Sharon Tate, which Van Houten was not involved in.
No one convicted in either case has been released from prison.
The parole panel has cited Van Houten’s youth at the time of the killings as well as her good behavior in prison when ruling four times in her favor.
All convicted Manson followers are serving life sentences. Manson died in prison in 2017 while serving his.
