After being convicted in 1971 and sentenced to death for her role in the horrific 1969 murders, former Charles Manson follower, Leslie Van Houten has been released from prison.
As reported by the New York Times, “Ms. Van Houten was 19 when she and other members of the so-called Manson family broke into the home of wealthy grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, and stabbed them dozens of times on Aug. 10, 1969. The LaBiancas were murdered one night after five people were killed at the home of movie director Roman Polanski — including his pregnant wife, the actress Sharon Tate. The murders were carried out at the direction of Charles Manson, one of the most notorious murderers of the 20th century, who died in 2017 at age 83.”
Back in May, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was overruled by an appeals court that said he couldn’t deny her parole following over half a century in prison for her role in the crimes. The way they told it, he failed to consider how much work she had put into recovery over the past 50 years.
From therapy to reprogramming through self-help and deep reflection she has undergone in the last 50 years, they believed she had repented for her role in their deaths. This was a decision Newsome decided not to appeal.
This is a sign that California has slipped through the cracks even worse than many economists and other leaders have previously claimed. It shows just how unwilling they are to commit to a difficult decision and stick to it.
For the family members of the victims, they lost countless years with their loved ones. Heinous crimes like these murders need proper prosecution and full commitment to the sentencing. Right here, this is just a joke.
