Leslie Van Houten, Manson Family Member, May Be Released From Prison After Appeals Court Ruling
thewrap.comoverrules California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last year vetoed a recommendation by the state’s parole board that Van Houten be set free.Van Houten was convicted in 1971 of killing Leno and Rosemary LaBianca as part of the string of murders carried out by followers of cult leader Charles Manson in August, 1969.
Initially sentenced to death, she was granted 2 retrials in the late 1970s and subsequently convicted of first degree murder, receiving a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.Since 2016, Van Houten has been recommended for parole five times, but each recommendation has been vetoed, the first 2 by former Gov.
Jerry Brown and the others by Newsom. But in a 2-1 decision, the 2nd District court of appeals in Los Angeles overruled Newsom.“Van Houten has shown extraordinary rehabilitative efforts, insight, remorse, realistic parole plans, support from family and friends, favorable institutional reports, and, at the time of the Governor’s decision, had received four successive grants of parole,” the majority opinion says. “Although the Governor states Van Houten’s historical factors ‘remain salient,’ he identifies nothing in the record indicating Van Houten has not successfully addressed those factors through many years of therapy, substance abuse programming, and other efforts.”Newsom has consistently argued that Van Houten, who was 19 at the time of the killings, is still a threat to society.
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