Global Courant 2023-05-31 16:50:16
A California appeals court on Tuesday recommended an early release for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, age 73.
Van Houten is serving a life sentence following her 1971 conviction and a 1978 retrial and conviction for aiding Manson and other cult members in the August murder of Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary 1969. She is currently serving a life sentence, but has been recommended for parole several times.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected parole recommendations for Van Houten multiple times, and the California Supreme Court rejected her latest bid for liberty in February 2022.
Van Houten was 19 when she and other followers fatally stabbed the LaBiancas in their home and smeared their blood on the walls.
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Leslie Van Houten has been recommended for early release from her life sentence several times in recent years, but the request has been rejected each time. (Stan Lim/Los Angeles Daily News via AP, Pool, File)
Tuesday’s court ruling reverses Newsom’s decision to dismiss Van Houten’s latest appeal. Newsom’s office had argued that Van Houten was still a danger to society and pointed to discrepancies in her original statement as to why she had filled in for Manson.
“Van Houten has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation efforts, insight, remorse, realistic plans for parole, support from family and friends, favorable institutional reports, and had received four consecutive parole awards at the time of the governor’s decision.” , the judges wrote. While the governor says Van Houten’s historical factors “remain salient,” he does not identify anything on the record to indicate that Van Houten has not successfully addressed those factors through many years of therapy, substance abuse programs and other efforts. .”
Charles Manson was convicted of one murder and multiple counts of attempted murder. He was the leader of the Manson Family, of which Leslie Van Houten was a member. (AP/Ron Galella)
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Although Newsom’s initial rejection of Van Houten’s release has been reversed, he can still request California Attorney General Rob Bonta to petition the Supreme Court to review the lower court’s decision.
The Supreme Court of the state ruled against Van Houten in a similar case last year.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly denied Leslie Van Houten’s requests for parole, but his latest move was overturned by an appeals court. (Dai Sugano/MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
Global Courant
Manson, the man behind the cult that orchestrated the murders, died in prison in 2017.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering national politics and major news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
