Mar. 19 – On Wednesday, August 30, 2007, a California parole board found Leslie Van Houten unsuitable for parole at a hearing held at the California Institution for Women in Corona.

Deputy District Attorney Patrick Sequeira, representing Los Angeles County, argued that for decades, Leslie Van Houten had minimized her role in the murder of Rosemary LaBianca.

“Whether it’s the LSD defense, whether it’s Charlie made me do it, whether it’s Tex made me do it, whether it’s Patricia Krenwinkel made me do it, these are all consistent games with her,” said Sequeria. “She dodges every issue every time. And I think this Panel will see, in looking at the entire scope of the evidence in this case, that the factors of unsuitability far, far outweigh any factors of suitability for this inmate, and I’d ask the Panel to find this inmate unsuitable for parole at this time and to make it a multiple denial.”

Christie Webb, attorney for Leslie Van Houten, told the board her client was temporarily ill at the time of the crime and that decades of psychiatric evaluations revealed Van Houten had no personality disorders and was unlikely to commit another violent crime.

“Please give her that second chance,” pleaded Webb. “She’s already served double the maximum time in your regulations for these offenses. There’s nothing more she can do to make herself more suitable. She can’t change the offenses.”

Louis Smaldino, nephew of Leno LaBianca, thanked the board for the opportunity to voice his family’s objections, but expressed frustration at the frequency of such hearings.

“We as a family are never able to share a holiday in the family’s home where these murders took place, or see the bright eyes of Leno and Rosemary again,” Smaldino told the board. “Never again for us. What Miss Van Houten did was permanent.”

The board praised Van Houten for her positive post conviction achievements, but said they did not outweigh the factors for unsuitability. Van Houten’s parole was denied for two years.

Leslie Van Houten

Leslie Louise Van Houten was born on August 23, 1949 in Los Angeles, California. She and her older brother grew up in a typical middle class household. Leslie’s father Paul was an automotive auctioneer, and her mother Jane was a schoolteacher. After Leslie, there were two more additions; the Van Houtens adopted a young boy and girl that had been orphaned in Korea. In 1963 Leslie’s parents divorced, Paul moved out and the children stayed with Jane. Meanwhile, Leslie began attending Monrovia High School, where she was twice elected homecoming queen. Like many at the time, she discovered hallucinogenic drugs, and her grades soon started to slip. She drifted away from her extracurricular activities, and shortly after, got pregnant and had an abortion.
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Mar. 1 – Parole for former Manson family member Bruce Davis was denied today, after California Governor Jerry Brown reversed an October 2012 Board of Parole Hearings recommendation that would’ve set Davis free.

Davis, 70, is serving a life sentence for the 1969 murders of Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shea. He has twice been recommended for parole and twice been denied by Governor review. In June of 2010, then governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed a Board of Parole Hearings decision that would’ve granted Davis parole, saying, “I believe his release would pose an unreasonable risk of danger of society at this time.”

Feb. 10 – On Wednesday, May 23, 2007, a California parole board took an hour and a half to find Charles Manson unsuitable for parole for the 11th time, at a hearing held at Corcoran State Prison in Corcoran, California.

Manson, who refused to attend his 2002 hearing, once again did not attend the hearing.

According to a counselor’s report, “Manson was given the opportunity to review, check appropriate boxes, and sign BPH documents for this BPH hearing. He refused to sign documents which dealt with waiver of rights to attend hearing, waiver of postponement of hearing, Central File review, and consent for attorney to examine records. Subject stated he considers himself a prisoner of the political system, and his appearance before the Board is questionable.”

Feb. 1 – Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey strongly urged Governor Jerry Brown to reverse a decision to grant parole for Manson family member Bruce Davis, in a letter sent last Thursday.

Davis, 70, is serving a life sentence for the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shea, and has been in prison since April 21, 1972. Last October, a parole board granted Davis parole for the second time in as many hearings.

Starting Monday, Governor Brown will have 30 days to reverse, modify or confirm the board’s decision.

Included with Lacey’s letter were two additional opposition letters from the first wife and the daughter of Donald “Shorty” Shea.

Jackie Lacey was elected Los Angeles County District Attorney last November, becoming both the county’s first female and first African American District Attorney. Lacey has been with the District Attorney’s office since 1986.

Jan. 24 – Today would’ve been Sharon Tate’s 70th Birthday.

She was 22-years-old when she was featured in the promotion short, All Eyes On Sharon Tate, which showed her attending singing and acting lessons and on the set of her debut film Eye of the Devil.