Judge agrees with governor: No parole for Manson follower

Judge agrees with governor: No parole for Manson follower | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - In this April 14, 2016 file photo, former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten confers with her attorney Rich Pfeiffer, not shown, during a break from her hearing before the California Board of Parole Hearings at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif. A judge has upheld Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to keep Charles Manson follower Van Houten in prison. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Ryan on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, refused a request from Van Houten’s lawyer to overturn Brown’s decision. A state board in April had declared Van Houten, who killed a California couple more than 40 years ago, eligible for parole after years of good prison behavior. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)

LOS ANGELES – A judge has upheld Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to keep Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten in prison.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Ryan on Thursday refused a request from Van Houten’s lawyer to overturn Brown’s decision.

A state board in April had declared Van Houten, who killed a California couple more than 40 years ago, eligible for parole after years of good prison behaviour.

In July, Brown overturned the board.

The Los Angeles Times reports the judge said in his Thursday ruling that there is still evidence Van Houten is a threat to society, and that he respects the governor’s broad discretion in these matters.

Van Houten, now 67, is serving a life sentence for the killings of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca.

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