A California Appeals Court ruled Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, who was involved in two brutal killings at the command of Charles Manson, is eligible for parole.
The California appellate court’s ruling overturned a previous decision by Governor Gavin Newsom, who denied Van Houten parole in 2020.
Van Houten who is now 73 years old is currently serving a life sentence for helping Manson and his followers kill Leno LaBianca, and his wife, Rosemary in Los Angeles, California.
As of right now it’s unclear if Governor Newsom will step in and call for California’s AG to petition Van Houten’s release.
Manson follower Leslie Van Houten should be paroled, California appeals court rules pic.twitter.com/i6SBNvvo87
— New York Post (@nypost) May 30, 2023
Per The Associated Press:
A California appeals court said Tuesday that Leslie Van Houten, who participated in two killings at the direction of cult leader Charles Manson in 1969, should be released from prison on parole.
The appellate court’s ruling reverses an earlier decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who rejected parole for Van Houten in 2020. She has been recommended for parole five times since 2016. All of those recommendations were rejected by either Newsom or former Gov. Jerry Brown.
Newsom could request that California Attorney General Rob Bonta petition the state Supreme Court to stop her release. Bonta’s office referred questions to Newsom’s office, which didn’t respond to queries about possible next steps.
Van Houten is one of the few remaining Manson family members still in prison.
Cult leader Charles Manson died in 2017 at the age of 83.
READ:
BREAKING: Cult Leader and Killer Charles Manson Dead at 83
