A California appeals court has ruled that Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten should be released from prison on parole

Van Houten was 19 when she participated in two killings at the direction of cult leader Charles Manson in Los Angeles in 1969.

The appellate court’s ruling reverses an earlier decision by Governor Gavin Newsom, who rejected parole for Van Houten in 2020.

The now 73-year old has been recommended for parole five times since 2016.  All of those recommendations were rejected by either Newsom or former Governor Jerry Brown.