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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 4 June 2019

California governor won't free Manson follower Van Houten

By DON THOMPSON "Nobody wants to put their
Associated Press name on her release, but
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) when they're speaking
— California Gov. Gavin honestly or off the record,
Newsom overruled a pa- everyone wants her to go
role board's decision to free home," said Van Houten's
Charles Manson follower attorney, Rich Pfeiffer.
Leslie Van Houten on Mon- Newsom is "going to have
day, marking the third time more political aspirations
a governor has stopped that go well beyond the
the release of the youngest state of California, and he
member of Manson's mur- doesn't want this tagging
derous cult. behind him," he added.
Van Houten, 69, is still "Not a surprise. I would have
a threat, Newsom said, been shocked if he would
though she has spent near- have said 'Go home.'"
ly half a century behind Earlier this year, Newsom
bars and received reports reversed a parole recom-
of good behavior and testi- mendation to free Manson
monials about her rehabili- follower Robert Beausoleil
tation. for an unrelated murder.
"While I commend Ms. Beausoleil was convicted
Van Houten for her efforts of killing musician Gary Hin-
at rehabilitation and ac- man.
knowledge her youth at Newsom's decision on Van
the time of the crimes, I am Houten outlined her par-
concerned about her role ticipation in graphic detail,
in these killings and her po- noting that after the killings,
tential for future violence," she "drank chocolate milk
he wrote in his decision. from the LaBiancas' refrig-
"Ms. Van Houten was an erator" before fleeing.
eager participant in the kill- "The gruesome crimes
ing of the LaBiancas and perpetuated by Ms. Van In this Sept. 6, 2017, file photo, Leslie Van Houten attends her parole hearing at the California In-
played a significant role." Houten and other Manson stitution for Women in Corona, Calif.
Van Houten was 19 when Family members in an at- Associated Press
she and other cult mem- tempt to incite social cha-
bers stabbed to death os continue to inspire fear a boyfriend ran away to to society." Van Houten's case was
wealthy Los Angeles gro- to this day," Newsom wrote. San Francisco during the An appeals court will de- overturned on appeal and
cer Leno LaBianca and his Van Houten is still minimiz- so-called Summer of Love cide whether to uphold or she was later convicted
wife, Rosemary, in August ing her responsibility and in 1967. reject that ruling by the end and sentenced to seven
1969. She said they carved Manson's "violent and con- She later encountered of July. years to life in prison.
up Leno LaBianca's body trolling actions," he said, Manson while traveling the "No governor's ever going Tate's sister, Debra Tate,
and smeared the couple's and she continues to lack coast. to let her out," said Pfei- has routinely shown up to
blood on the walls. insight into her reasons for Manson had holed up with ffer, Van Houten's attorney parole and court hearings
The slayings came the day participating. his "family" at an aban- who's pinning his hopes on to oppose the release of
after other Manson fol- Van Houten's lawyer said doned movie ranch on the appeals court. "They any Manson follower. Even
lowers, not including Van in January after her lat- the outskirts of Los Angeles are bound by law to en- though Van Houten didn't
Houten, killed pregnant est release recommenda- when he launched a plan force the law indepen- take part in her sister's mur-
actress Sharon Tate and tion that the parole board to spark a race war by dently. They have to do it der, Tate said she didn't
four others in violence that found she had taken full committing a series of ran- whether or not it's popular deserve release under any
spread fear throughout Los responsibility for her role in dom, terrifying murders. with the public ... and the circumstances.
Angeles and riveted the the killings. Brown rejected parole law is that she should be re- Supporters of Van Houten
nation. "She chose to go with Man- for Van Houten in 2017 leased." said she had been a mod-
No one who took part in the son," Pfeiffer said. "She because he said she still Manson and his followers el prisoner who mentored
Tate-LaBianca murders has chose to listen to him. And blamed the cult leader too were sentenced to death dozens of inmates and
been released from prison. she acknowledges that." much for the murders. A in 1971, though those pun- helped them come to
It was the first time Newsom Van Houten has described Los Angeles Superior Court ishments were commuted terms with their crimes.
rejected parole for Van a troubled childhood that judge upheld Brown's deci- to life in prison after the Manson died in 2017 of nat-
Houten, while former Gov. led her to use drugs and sion last year, finding that California Supreme Court ural causes at a California
Jerry Brown denied her re- hang around with outcasts. Van Houten posed "an un- ruled capital punishment hospital while serving a life
lease twice. When she was 17, she and reasonable risk of danger unconstitutional in 1972. sentence.q