Apr 15, 2016

Manson Family 'disciple' facing freedom 47 years after the murderous cult's LA killing spree shocked the world

JON LOCKETT
The Sun
April 15, 2016
Beauty queen Leslie Van Houten was on LSD when she stabbed victim 14 times

Leslie Van Houten
Leslie Van Houten
A FOLLOWER of Charles Manson who took part in his cult's infamous 1969 massacre has won the green light for parole.

Leslie Van Houten, 66, the youngest member of the so-called Manson Family, was granted parole by the California Institution for Women in Corona.

Van Houten was convicted in 1971 for the savage murders of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca in their Los Feliz home in California.

She later admitted she was off her face on LSD when she butchered Rosemary 14 times with a knife.

The double murder came a day after several other Manson 'disciples' killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate who was married to renowned director Roman Polanski in her LA home.

In total, the Manson Family killed seven innocent victims.

During the circus-like trial, prosecutors argued Manson ordered the murders to start a race war he dubbed "Helter Skelter" after the Beatles song.

Van Houten said the group planned to retreat to the desert and hide in a hole after the slaughters.

Deluded Manson, 81, is serving a life sentence in Corcoran State Prison.

He, like Van Houten, had received the death penalty, but his sentence was also commuted to life in prison.

News of Van Houten's possible release has been welcomed by the former teen beauty queen's legal team.

“We’re really ecstatic,” Van Houten’s lawyer, Christie Webb, told The New York Post.

“Leslie is an individual. She can’t change what she did, but she has tremendous remorse.”

The parole board will review the judgement for up to 120 days and, if its members uphold the decision, the matter will be forwarded to California Governor Jerry Brown.

She has been denied parole 19 times before.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/7077620/Manson-Family-disciple-facing-freedom-47-years-after-the-infamous-cults-LA-massacre.html

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