Manson Family Member Leslie Van Houten was denied a parole request for the third time this week, despite three recommendations to give it to her and a wealth of good reports from officers behind bars. Some believe that her participation in the Labianca murders were so grisly that she could never be reformed, while others believe that her presence behind bars is a waste of space and money at this point, since she was only 19 when she committed the crime. Here's what a couple of Twitter users had to say about the situation.
Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten was denied parole this week by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who reversed a recommendation by a parole board to let her out.
Van Houten was heavily involved in the murders of wealthy grocer Leno and his wife Rosemary Labianca, one day after the infamous killing of actress Sheron Tate, which Van Houten did not participate in. Van Houten helped to asphyxiate Rosemary Labianca with a pillowcase and then stabbed her between 14 and 16 times in the back. After the murders, Van Houten helped to smear the blood of the victims on the walls of the house and drank chocolate milk from the victims’ fridge.
According to correctional officers, Van Houten is a model prisoner, and she has already been recommended for parole twice. Each time, these recommendations were overturned by California Governor Jerry Brown.
Van Houten is now 69, and has been incarcerated for about 50 years.
Newsom was not impressed with the reports of good behavior from correctional officers, stating, “While I commend Ms. Van Houten for her efforts at rehabilitation and acknowledge her youth at the time of the crimes, I am concerned about her role in these killings and her potential for future violence. Ms. Van Houten was an eager participant in the killing of the LaBiancas and played a significant role.”
Should Van Houten be given parole, or is she still an imminent threat to the safety of those around her? Here’s what some folks on Twitter had to say.
People are really out here crying about Leslie Van Houten being denied parole like "omg she was only 19 when she helped murder those people!"
— 𝓁𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓇𝒾𝒶 (@lumaria) June 4, 2019
This woman giggled when they described the murders of the victims in court.
She deserves to be in there until she dies. Period.
No one in any correctional facility is more “rehabilitated” than Leslie Van Houten. Immensely disappointed in @GavinNewsom. #CriminalJusticeReform needs to strip politics from the justice system.
— Let Me Entertain U Productions, Inc. (@deiustitiaadrem) June 4, 2019
Just jumping in to say there must be at least a million folks incarcerated on non-violent drug offenses that should get out of prison ahead of Leslie Van Houten
— Marlon Weems (@GeekTrader) June 4, 2019
Great news, #LeslieVanHouten continue to Rot in Your cage until you stop breathing! Good to hear you are still alive and paying for your crimes. Well done #USA
— Dean Spencer (@DEANX121) June 4, 2019
@debra_tate9 https://t.co/11rOW0TFRL I was just reading this and I just have to wonder, why do they want out so bad? They need to stay there! life is easy. Manson made their decisions and now prison does. Wouldn’t it be safer to for them to stay in prison?!? My thoughts anyways.
— Caity (@caitlyn_bedker) May 31, 2019
Very sad to hear Leslie Van Houten has been denied parole again. Wrong call by Gavin Newsom.
— Radio Angie 📻 (@AngieCoiro) June 4, 2019
With Van Houten stuck in a perpetual tug of war between the parole boards that observe her behavior on a daily basis and the California governors who have to pay the political price of signing her parole release, it seems like those who think she is still a danger to society will take the day for now. Do you think that she is reformed, or is she beyond reformation? Give us your opinion in the comments!