Chino, California – A California parole panel has recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson and one of the central figures in the infamous 1969 Los Angeles murder spree that shocked the nation. Krenwinkel, now 77, has served more than five decades in prison and is the longest-incarcerated female inmate in California history.
The recommendation, made Friday by a panel of the state Board of Parole Hearings, marks Krenwinkel’s 16th bid for parole. According to KFMP-TV, CBS’s San Diego affiliate, the panel determined that her advanced age and spotless prison record suggest she poses little risk to public safety. The decision, however, remains provisional and must undergo multiple layers of review before becoming final.
The full Board of Parole Hearings has up to 120 days to affirm or reject the panel’s decision. If affirmed, California Governor Gavin Newsom will then have 30 days to approve, deny, or send the decision back for further consideration. In 2022, Newsom reversed a previous parole recommendation, citing concerns that Krenwinkel had not fully accepted responsibility and still posed “an unreasonable danger to society.”…