Aug. 2 – A Superior Court judge has granted Leslie Van Houten a hearing to create a record of mitigating evidence in support of youth offender parole. The record will assist the Board of Parole Hearings, the Governor’s office and the Courts, by giving them a formal profile of Van Houten’s state of mind when she was involved with the Manson family.
The hearing, which is pursuant to People V. Franklin, will be held on August 24th at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office urged Judge Sam Ohta to deny Van Houten the hearing, calling it redundant and arguing that she could make such a record in her parole hearings.
However, Van Houten’s attorney, Richard Pfeiffer was adamant that a Franklin hearing would be the only way Van Houten can present this evidence without the District Attorney using it against her.
Van Houten is also scheduled to appear before the Board of Parole Hearings on September 6th.