One of the killers involved in the 1969 Manson killing spree, Patricia Krenwinkel, hoped to be freed for the 14th time but the California parole board denied her bid for parole.
The 69-year-old is the female inmate who has been serving the longest sentence in the California prison system. She has been jailed for 47 years now, CNN reported.
Patricia Krenwinkel claims she was physically, emotionally abused by Charles Manson
Krenwinkel and her defense team’s latest reason regarding their plea to have her free was the battered woman syndrome. The board did not buy such claim.
A hearing was scheduled for Krenwinkel back in December, but it was postponed as she and her defense team claimed she was physically and emotionally abused by Charles manson, a cult leader. Krenwinkel, who was once a follower of Manson, played a role in the killings of the then-pregnant actress Sharon Tate and Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. Accordingly, Manson wanted to ignite a race war thus the murders.
Krenwinkel was also responsible for writing the words “Rise,” “Death to Pigs” and “Helter Skelter” on the walls of the home of LaBianca. She was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder in the August 1969 killing spree.
In total, seven people were killed by the Manson Family. Aside from Tate and the LaBianca’s, Folger Coffee heiress Abigail Folger and celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring were also killed.
Krenwinkel stabbed Folger 28 times on the first night of the killing. She then claimed responsibility in stabbing Rosemary to death on the second night of the killing spree. She also said that she used the blood of Leno to write the words on the wall.
Relatives of victims will fight parole recommendations
The relatives of the victims, such as Tate’s sister, Sebring’s nephew, and the grandson of the LaBianca’s, planned to fight any parole recommendation for Krenwinkel.
The sister of Tate, Debra, believed Krenwinkel was not abused as she could have cut ties with the Manson family and ran away from them if she wanted to. Debra added, “She did it because she enjoyed it.”
The grandson of the LaBiancas, Tony LaMontagne, said the hearings re-victimize the relatives of the victims as they have to listen to the details of the crimes. Despite that, he attends the parole hearings as he wants to show support for his slain grandparents.
Krenwinke will be eligible for parole in the next five years.
