OLD NEWS

6/28/02 - Leslie Van Houten was denied parole for the 14th time. The California Board of Prison Terms said Van Houten needed more therapy "to further understand the enormity of her crime."

 “This was a cruel and calculated murder and a matter that demonstrates a disregard for human suffering,” said Sharon Lawin, the board commissioner who chaired the hearing.

 Lawin said the panel ruled, in a separate decision, that “it is not reasonable to expect that parole would be granted at a hearing during the following two years.”

Van Houten told the board she would live in Los Angeles with a friend if granted parole and said she had two job offers, in a fabric store and with a film company.

Van Houten's lawyer Christie Webb, tried to have Debra Tate removed from the hearing, stating that Van Houten was not involved in the murder of Sharon Tate. The Board advised Webb that Debra was there as a support person for the Labianca family and had every right to be present.

Debra Tate was pleased with the decision that the CABPT made to deny Van Houten parole once again.
 

6/18/02 - If you would like to voice your support for the California Board of Prison Terms past denials of parole for Leslie Van Houten and ask that they continue to deny her requests for parole you can write them at:

California Board of Prison Terms

1515 K Street Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814

Make sure to include Leslie Van Houten's CDC # W13378. Also, if you would like you can ask that your letter stand for all subsequent parole considerations for Van Houten.

Letters need to be mailed as soon as possible. Van Houten's next parole hearing is scheduled for June 28th 2002.

5/23/2002 - Leslie Van Houten appeared in the courtroom of San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Bob N. Krug, to ask that he review the decision of the California Board of Prison Terms, denying her parole.

Judge Krug seemed sympathetic to Van Houten's claim that she had accomplished everything that the BPT had asked her to do, that she was now rehabilitated and posed no threat to the public. Judge Krug said "If I were in Ms. Van Houten's situation I wouldn't have a clue what to do before the next hearing to prepare,"

In the courtroom were family, friends and supporters of Leslie Van Houten, along with Lawyers for Susan Atkins and Charles Watson. Debra Tate was the only member of a victim's family to attend the hearing. Outside the courtroom she spoke to reporters and said: "None of these people should ever be allowed into society. Whether or not she can change is irrelevant to me. All of these people were guilty and given the death sentence, and that's what's in my mind."

What are the facts of Leslie Van Houten's case?

Van Houten did not go the first night of the Tate Labianca Murders, when Sharon Tate and four others were brutally murdered.

The second night Van Houten, by her own account was anxious to go along, even though she had been told of the brutality and carnage the first night by her crime partner Patricia Krenwinkel.

She entered the Labianca home with Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles Watson.

The Labiancas, a middle aged couple, were tied up in their living room.

Van Houten along with Krenwinkel, took Mrs. Labianca into the bedroom. There
they placed a pillowcase over her head and tied a lamp cord around her neck.
 

Mrs. Labianca became upset when she heard the sounds of her husband being murdered in the living room by Watson. She began to struggle with Van Houten and Krenwinkel.

Van Houten held Mrs. Labianca down on the bed while she says Krenwinkel stabbed her so hard that the knife she was using bent.

At some point Van Houten decided that she and Krenwinkel needed the assistance of Watson, so she ran to the living room and brought him back to the bedroom.

Watson continued the assault on Mrs. Labianca's body with his knife.

It is at this point that Van Houten claims that Watson urged her to stab Mrs. Labianca. She says she stabbed her multiple times in the back and buttocks. Van Houten also claims that  Mrs. Labianca was already dead at this time.

Later, while Watson showered, Van Houten wiped down the house to get rid of prints.

Before the three murderers left the Labianca home they took cheese and chocolate milk from the refrigerator to snack on.

Van Houten likes to paint the picture that her involvement in the Labianca murders was minor. She says that she only stabbed Mrs. Labianca after she was dead. There is no way that Van Houten could have known if Mrs. Labianca was dead or not. Even if she was, prior to that she had held the woman down while Krenwinkel stabbed her. Van Houten was an active, willing participant in these crimes.

In a recent parole hearing when asked when she finally was able to start feeling remorse for the crimes she said that it was after her death sentence had been overturned and it was "no longer an eye for an eye." In other words once she thought she had a chance to get out she decided she would begin to play the game.

Judge Krug adjourned for the day without making a decision. He indicated he would make a ruling after further consideration, probably in the next thirty days.

If Judge Krug rules in Van Houten's favor then the next person between Van Houten and freedom is CA Gov. Gray Davis. We urge you to let Gov. Davis know your feelings regarding this murderer's possible release. Below is information for Judge Krug as well as Gov. Davis.

Judge Bob N. Krug
San Bernardino Superior Court
351 North Arrowhead Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0240
Fax: (909)387-3000

Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
governor@governor.ca.gov

For those visitors not in CA, remember this sort of case could set precedence all over the world. We need to act now.

Leslie hasn't changed much in the past 30 odd years. She is still enjoying herself at everyone else's expense.