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BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Ex-Manson cult follower Van Houten freed after 53 Years in prison

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 12 Jul 2023 09:29
2 Min Read

Convicted for her role in the 1969 killings of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, Van Houten, now 73, has walked free and will be under parole supervision while staying at a transitional housing facility.

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  • Leslie Van Houten attends a parole hearing in Corona, California, in 2017. (AP)
    Leslie Van Houten attends a parole hearing in Corona, California, in 2017. (AP)

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.

Read next: ICRC reports inmates 'accelerated aging' in infamous US Guantanamo Bay
 

  • 1969 killing
  • US
  • Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
  • Van Houten
  • California

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