Charles Manson Follower Leslie Van Houten Again Denied Parole By Gov. Gavin Newsom

Bruce Haring
·2 min read
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A woman who was part of arguably the most notorious murder spree in California history has been denied parole again.

Leslie Van Houten was part of the Charles Manson group that murdered grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, in Los Feliz the night after another group of Manson followers killed actress Sharon Tate and four others in Beverly Hills. The killing spree has been memorialized in numerous films, television shows and books.

She was recommend for parole in July, but has had her parole recommendation reversed by California Governor Gavin Newsom. It is the fourth time a state governor has blocked her release. She has spent almost five decades in prison for her role in the killings.

Van Houten’s attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, said they will appeal Newsom’s decision.

“This reversal will demonstrate to the courts that there is no way Newsom will let her out,” Pfeiffer said. “So they have to enforce the law or it will never be enforced.”

Van Houten is serving a life sentence for the August 1969 killings of the LaBiancas. Van Houten was 19 when she and others fatally stabbed the LaBiancas and smeared the couple’s blood on the walls, allegedly with the goal of starting a racial war the group dubbed “Helter Skelter.”

Newsom said in his decision that “evidence shows that she currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison.”

Pfeiffer originally requested her release in May because of the coronavirus pandemic. That appeal was denied.

Charles Manson died in prison in 2017. He was present at the LaBianca murders, but allegedly remained in the car while the murders took place.

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