Although a prison board had recommended parole for the former follower of convicted mass murderer Charles Manson stating her good behaviour during detention, California Governor Jerry Brown rejected the request on Friday (22 July).
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“She clearly lacks insight, genuine remorse, and an understanding of the magnitude of her crimes”, Lacey wrote in June, adding that Van Houten still maintained “a disturbingly distorted view of Charles Manson”, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The California panel recommend parole as the woman is now older with shoulder-length gray hair, a wrinkled face and glasses and away from the unsafe teenager as she was when she joined the cult of Charles Manson more than 40 years ago.
A two-member California review board had granted parole to Van Houten in April.
Van Houten and other followers of Charles Manson were convicted for the 1969 murders of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary.
Brown acknowledged Van Houten’s success in prison and her youth at the time of the murders, but he wrote in his decision that she failed to explain how she transformed from an upstanding teen to a killer.
As a signer of the Tate family’s petition, this Californian would like to thank Governor Brown for making a just decision in the Van Houten case.
Manson, who directed but did not take part in the murders, thought the killings would start a race war, called “Helter Skelter” after a Beatles song.
After the killing, Van Houten changed into the victim’s clothes and drank chocolate milk from the couple’s refrigerator, according to the statement of facts regarding her case. Her first conviction was later overturned after her lawyer disappeared during the trial.
Prior to this year, she had been denied parole 19 times.
Van Houten reportedly has apologized to the LaBianca family.
Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed. He has been denied parole 16 times. She is also said to have demonstrated very good behaviour.
Susan “Sadie” Denise Atkins – She was implicated in the Tate and LaBianca murders. The 68-year-old remains at the California Institution for Women. He is serving a life sentence and now at a Vacaville, California, medical facility. He is serving a life sentence and had his parole reversed by Gov.
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Steven “Clem” Grogan – He was released on parole after revealing the location of the body of ranch-hand Donald “Shorty” Shea, who was killed in 1969.
