Manson Murder Follower Parole Blocked Again, Lawyer To Appeal Decision

At 71, there is little to nothing criminal that anyone can probably do. But in the case of Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, California Governor Gavin Newsom is not ready to grant Van Houten parole.

In a report from the Associated Press, Newsom reversed the parole for Van Houten who has spent the past five decades in prison. It was not the first time that a parole decision was reversed on the 71-year-old’s case.

Currently serving a life sentence in connection with the Manson case that happened in 1969, Newsom has also blocked parole the last time around. Before that, predecessor Jerry Brown had blocked it two times.

Having been blocked for the fourth time, the legal counsel of Van Houten (Rich Pfieffer) plans to file an appeal regarding 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.”

Pfeiffer had requested a release back in May, pointing out the threats that the coronavirus brings. Newsom believes that Van Houten still poses an “unreasonable threat” to society despite her age and if she were to be released.

The mental capacity of Van Houten has likely changed since that forgettable event in August 1969. She was only 19 then and part of a cult that fatally stabbed Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary. The cult group fatally stabbed the couple and smeared their wall with blood.

A day before, Manson followers killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate along with four others. Van Houten was reportedly not part of that crime.

During a parole hearing in 2017, Van Houten shared how she went through tough times growing up. That included seeing her parents’ divorce when she was just 14 and taking drugs. She ran away with her boyfriend at the age of 17 and eventually met Manson while traveling.

"To tell you the truth, the older I get the harder it is to deal with all of this, to know what I did, how it happened," Van Houten said at that time.

Newsome understood where Van Houten was coming from and a psychologist added that her actions at that time were most likely impacted by youth factors, CNN reported.

"Before she can be safely released, Ms. Van Houten must do more to develop her understanding of the factors that caused her to seek acceptance from such a negative, violent influence, and perpetrate extreme acts of wanton violence," Newsome stated.