After serving 53 years in prison, Leslie Van Houten, a former member of the Charles Manson cult involved in the infamous murders, has been released from a California correctional facility. Van Houten, now 73, will be under parole supervision at a transitional housing facility.

Despite previous vetoed decisions by governors, a state appeals court granted her release in May, taking into account her rehabilitation efforts, academic achievements, and participation in mental health programs during her incarceration.

Van Houten's attorney, Nancy Tetreault, said as quoted by The Guardian that Van Houten is really "thrilled, but she’s been in prison for 53 years and turns 74 next month so this is a huge change,” adding that “she’s gratified that people are recognizing that she’s completely reformed because she really is. I’ve never had a client who has dedicated herself to reform like she has. She spent 40 years in therapy and 30 years in what they call rehabilitative programming."

“She fell under the influence of Charles Manson and participated in these horrible murders … and she worked really hard to get past that cult indoctrination and to understand it and take responsibility. And she had to confront her feelings of crushing guilt over what she did. She’s very remorseful,” Tetreault stressed.

It is worth noting that Governor Gavin Newsom, who opposed her release, chose not to appeal the latest decision. Van Houten's case has sparked discussions on the flaws in the parole process and the need for criminal justice reform.

The state of California, along with other states in the US, faces a significant issue concerning the aging prison population. Many individuals serving long or indefinite sentences have limited opportunities for release, leading civil rights lawyers to argue that this situation has evolved into a humanitarian crisis.

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