CNN
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California Governor Gavin Newsom blocks the parole of Patricia Kronwinkle, a former follower of Charles Manson and the infamous 1969 murderer Convicted in the frenzy, saying “she currently poses an unreasonably dangerous risk to public safety.”
The parole board first recommended Kronwinkel’s release in May. She has been denied parole 14 times since her conviction.
“After an independent and thorough review, the evidence shows that Ms. Kronwinkel is unfit for parole and cannot be released safely at this time,” Newsom said in comments Friday, which overturned the parole decision.
Kronwinkel, 74, was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder in the August 1969 Manson family attack that left seven people dead. Among the victims were pregnant actress Sharon Tate, who joined director Roman Polanski, Folger’s Coffee heiress Abigail Folger and celebrities Hairstylist Jay Sebring married.
During the 1969 killing spree, Kronwinkel chased down and stabbed Folgore 28 times, Kronwinkel said in court testimony.
Newsom said that despite her age at the time of the killing, her positive behavior in prison and her current age, Kronwinkel remains ineligible for parole.
“Ms. Kronwinkle was not only a victim of Mr. Manson’s abuse. She was also a significant contributor to the violence and tragedy that became the Manson family legacy,” Newsom said in his parole revocation decision. “In addition to the brutal murders she committed, she played a leadership role in the cult and was the enforcer of Mr. Manson’s tyranny.”
The review noted her lack of insight into “the incentives for her crime and the triggers for her antisocial thoughts” as the reason for her 15th parole denial.
“While Ms. Krenwinkel has matured in prison and participated in commendable rehabilitation, her efforts have not adequately reduced her risk of future danger,” the review said.
Kronwinkel was originally sentenced to death in 1971. A year later, the death penalty in California was ruled unconstitutional, and her sentence was commuted to life in prison. The death penalty has since been reinstated.
Kronwinkel has served about 53 years in prison, according to the governor’s office.