California Governor Denies Parole for Manson Follower

Leslie Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson “family” to take part in a series of gruesome California murders in 1969, has been denied freedom again—her past overshadowing her decades as a model prisoner.

Charles Manson followers, (L-R) Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, walk to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 cult killings of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 20, 1970. AP Photo/George Brich

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Leslie Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson “family” to take part in a series of gruesome California murders in 1969, has been denied freedom again—her past overshadowing her decades as a model prisoner.

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday overturned a parole board recommendation in April that found Van Houten, 66, was no longer the violent woman who helped slaughter a wealthy grocer and his wife.

The board noted that during her 46 years in prison, Van Houten completed college degrees, ran self-help groups for other inmates and had a spotless disciplinary record.

Brown disagreed with their conclusion.

“She remains an unacceptable risk to society if released,” he wrote in a five-page review that denied Van Houten parole for the 20th time.

Former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten confers, with her attorney Rich Pfeiffer (not shown), during a break from her hearing before the California Board of Parole Hearings at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif., on April 14, 2016. AP Photo/Nick Ut