- July 11, 2023
- Posted by: legaleseblogger
- Category: Related News
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# Former Manson Follower Leslie Van Houten Released on Parole After 53 Years in Prison
Leslie Van Houten, a former follower of Charles Manson who played a role in the brutal double murder of a Los Angeles couple in 1969, has been released on parole after serving over half a century behind bars. Her lawyer, Nancy Tetreault, confirmed the news and mentioned that Van Houten was taken to transitional housing at an undisclosed location early Tuesday morning. Tetreault expressed that Van Houten will need time to adjust to the outside world after spending 53 years in prison, highlighting the challenges she may face during her reentry process.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has officially confirmed Van Houten’s release, lending credibility to her lawyer’s statement. This move comes after Governor Gavin Newsom’s office decided not to challenge her parole release. Notably, Newsom had previously overturned the parole grant three times since taking office, with the most recent reversal occurring in March 2022.
In response to the Court of Appeal’s decision to release Van Houten, a spokeswoman for Governor Newsom expressed disappointment. However, they explained that pursuing further legal action is unlikely to be successful, leading to their decision to not take any additional steps. This stance suggests that Van Houten’s release will not face any strong opposition from the governor’s office.
Van Houten was only 19 years old when she, along with other members of the notorious Manson family, broke into the home of Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The couple was brutally stabbed multiple times on August 10, 1969. The LaBianca murders occurred just one night after the Manson family orchestrated the killings of five people, including actress Sharon Tate, at the home of film director Roman Polanski. Charles Manson, the mastermind behind these horrifying crimes, died in 2017 at the age of 83.
Initially, Van Houten was convicted on two counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in 1971. While she was originally sentenced to death, her punishment was later reduced to life in prison due to the abolition of capital punishment in California the following year.
Throughout the years, Van Houten has openly acknowledged her involvement in the killings. During a parole board hearing in 2002, she recounted how she held down Ms. LaBianca while another Manson family member, Patricia Krenwinkel, stabbed her in the collarbone. Additionally, Charles D. Watson, another accomplice, stabbed Ms. LaBianca eight times with a bayonet before Van Houten proceeded to stab her abdomen 14 to 16 times.
In disturbing parole records, it was revealed that Van Houten wiped down surfaces for fingerprints and even changed clothes at the crime scene. She also consumed chocolate milk from the couple’s refrigerator. However, Van Houten has expressed remorse for her actions over the years and attributed her participation in the murders to being mentally ill, further aggravated by her use of LSD. She stated her belief in Charles Manson, claiming that she saw him as Jesus Christ and got fully caught up in his ideology.
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