Leslie Van Houten
Encyclopedia
Leslie Louise Van Houten (born August 23, 1949, Altadena, California
) is a former member of Charles Manson
's "Family" who was convicted of the murder
s of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
and Bobby Beausoleil
in San Francisco. It was through them that she heard of Charles Manson and his community. When she met Manson, she was immediately captivated by him and the people associated with him. His way of life intrigued her, and she joined his group in September 1968, moving to the Spahn Ranch
.
Although Van Houten was devoted to Manson, he was never very interested in her and treated her as if she "belonged to Bobby" since she had been Beausoleil's girlfriend when she arrived at the ranch in 1968. Manson's attitude left her with a strong need to prove herself to him and the rest of the family.
, Susan Atkins
, Steve Grogan
, and Linda Kasabian
to an address in Los Feliz, the home of Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. Manson entered the house with Watson and handed him the leather thongs from around his neck; he then left the house, instructing Krenwinkel and Van Houten to go inside and join Watson. The house had previously been cased in a process they called "creepy-crawling."{Linda Kasabian 2009 Larry King CNN Interview Sept 04, 2009}
Krenwinkel and Van Houten found Rosemary LaBianca in a bedroom, to which she had retired while her husband had fallen asleep while reading in the living room. Van Houten put a pillowcase over Rosemary LaBianca's head, and the two women tied the electrical cord from a lamp around her neck. LaBianca started struggling; meanwhile, her husband, who had been tied up in the living room, started screaming as Watson began stabbing him. Rosemary grabbed the lamp and swung it at Van Houten, who fought with her and knocked the lamp away. Van Houten then held LaBianca down while Krenwinkel tried to stab her in the chest, but the blade bent on LaBianca's clavicle
. Van Houten called for assistance from Watson, who entered the bedroom and took charge. Van Houten exited the room and stood in the hallway, staring into an adjacent empty room.
Watson then stabbed Rosemary LaBianca several times, found Van Houten, handed her the knife, and told her to "do something." Van Houten proceeded to stab Rosemary 16 times in the lower torso. The autopsy
showed that several of the wounds had been inflicted post-mortem. Van Houten then wiped the premises down for fingerprint
s, changed into clothes from Mrs. LaBianca's closet, and took food from the refrigerator before leaving the house.
along with Manson, Krenwinkel, and Atkins for her part in the murders. Watson was later tried separately, since he was in Texas
fighting extradition
at the time. Van Houten was the youngest of the defendants and considered the least committed to Manson, so she was thought to be the most likely to receive a recommendation for mercy. Throughout the trial, however, she was disruptive, uncooperative, and inclined to giggle when listening to testimony
, particularly when the deaths of the LaBiancas and that of Sharon Tate
were discussed. As a result, she quickly lost the sympathy of the jury.
All of the defendants were found guilty of murder and were sentenced to death
on March 29, 1971. The death sentences were automatically commuted to life in prison after the California Supreme Court
's People v. Anderson decision resulted in the invalidation of all death sentences imposed in California prior to 1972.
Van Houten won a retrial in 1977 on the grounds that her counsel had not effectively represented her at the original trial. The lawyer at her first trial, Ronald Hughes
, had disappeared during the trial and was later found dead. It was alleged that members of the Manson Family killed Hughes, but this has never been proven. Van Houten's second trial ended in a hung jury
. She was tried a third time, during which she was free on bond. She was found guilty of felony robbery, murder, and conspiracy
to commit murder. Once again, she was sentenced to life in prison.
. Superior Court Judge Bob Krug ordered a new parole hearing, pointing out that at the 1977 retrial, Van Houten was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, but by having served eight years in prison, she was already eligible for parole by 1978. Krug's ruling for Van Houten was overturned on appeal in 2004.
Van Houten was denied parole on August 25, 2004. She was again denied parole on September 7, 2006, her 16th unsuccessful application. At this hearing, she was informed she may apply again one year later as opposed to the usual two years. She was once again denied parole on August 30, 2007, but would be allowed to have a hearing again in two years. Van Houten's August 2009 scheduled parole hearing was postponed until August 2010 after she requested a postponement due to then current legal issues being pursued in court. The legal issues concerned her challenge of the 2004 parole denial in federal court. Van Houten appeared before the parole board for a 19th time on July 6, 2010 and was denied.
Van Houten remains housed in the California Institution for Women
in Chino
, along with Krenwinkel. Filmmaker John Waters
has actively advocated for Van Houten's parole.
Altadena, California
Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California...
) is a former member of Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
's "Family" who was convicted of the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
s of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
Life with Manson
In the summer of 1968, Van Houten met Catherine ShareCatherine Share
Catherine Louise "Gypsy" Share is a former member of Charles Manson's "Family".-Early life:She was born in Paris to a Hungarian violinist father and a German mother. Her parents were both members of the French underground movement during World War II, and both committed suicide when their daughter...
and Bobby Beausoleil
Bobby Beausoleil
Robert Kenneth "Bobby" Beausoleil is a convicted American murderer and associate of the Charles Manson "Family" who is serving a life sentence. He killed music teacher and fellow associate Gary Hinman on July 27, 1969, and has been imprisoned since his arrest for that crime...
in San Francisco. It was through them that she heard of Charles Manson and his community. When she met Manson, she was immediately captivated by him and the people associated with him. His way of life intrigued her, and she joined his group in September 1968, moving to the Spahn Ranch
Spahn Ranch
Spahn Ranch, also known as the Spahn Movie Ranch, was a movie ranch used for filming generally Western-themed movies and television programs. With mountainous terrain, boulder-strewn scenery, and an 'old Western town' set, Spahn Ranch was a versatile filming site for many scripts...
.
Although Van Houten was devoted to Manson, he was never very interested in her and treated her as if she "belonged to Bobby" since she had been Beausoleil's girlfriend when she arrived at the ranch in 1968. Manson's attitude left her with a strong need to prove herself to him and the rest of the family.
Murders
On the night of August 10, 1969, Manson drove Van Houten, Tex Watson, Patricia KrenwinkelPatricia Krenwinkel
Patricia Dianne Krenwinkel is an American convicted killer and a former member of Charles Manson's murderous commune, known as "the Family". During her time with Manson's group, she was known by various aliases such as "Big Patty", "Yellow", and "Mary Ann Scott", but to The Family she was most...
, Susan Atkins
Susan Atkins
Susan Denise Atkins was a convicted American murderer who was a member of the "Manson family", led by Charles Manson. Manson and his followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations in California, over a period of five weeks in the summer of 1969...
, Steve Grogan
Steve "Clem" Grogan
Steve Dennis "Clem" Grogan , is an American murderer, former member of The Manson Family.Grogan, a musician, dropped out of high school and was involved in minor crimes before joining the Manson family at the Spahn Ranch. Like Charles Manson, he was friends with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys...
, and Linda Kasabian
Linda Kasabian
Linda Kasabian is a former member of Charles Manson's "family". She was the key witness in District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi's prosecution of Manson and his followers for the Tate-LaBianca murders, one of the highest-profile murder trials in American history.-Early life:Born as Linda Darlene...
to an address in Los Feliz, the home of Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. Manson entered the house with Watson and handed him the leather thongs from around his neck; he then left the house, instructing Krenwinkel and Van Houten to go inside and join Watson. The house had previously been cased in a process they called "creepy-crawling."{Linda Kasabian 2009 Larry King CNN Interview Sept 04, 2009}
Krenwinkel and Van Houten found Rosemary LaBianca in a bedroom, to which she had retired while her husband had fallen asleep while reading in the living room. Van Houten put a pillowcase over Rosemary LaBianca's head, and the two women tied the electrical cord from a lamp around her neck. LaBianca started struggling; meanwhile, her husband, who had been tied up in the living room, started screaming as Watson began stabbing him. Rosemary grabbed the lamp and swung it at Van Houten, who fought with her and knocked the lamp away. Van Houten then held LaBianca down while Krenwinkel tried to stab her in the chest, but the blade bent on LaBianca's clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
. Van Houten called for assistance from Watson, who entered the bedroom and took charge. Van Houten exited the room and stood in the hallway, staring into an adjacent empty room.
Watson then stabbed Rosemary LaBianca several times, found Van Houten, handed her the knife, and told her to "do something." Van Houten proceeded to stab Rosemary 16 times in the lower torso. The autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
showed that several of the wounds had been inflicted post-mortem. Van Houten then wiped the premises down for fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s, changed into clothes from Mrs. LaBianca's closet, and took food from the refrigerator before leaving the house.
Trials
Van Houten was tried in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
along with Manson, Krenwinkel, and Atkins for her part in the murders. Watson was later tried separately, since he was in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
fighting extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
at the time. Van Houten was the youngest of the defendants and considered the least committed to Manson, so she was thought to be the most likely to receive a recommendation for mercy. Throughout the trial, however, she was disruptive, uncooperative, and inclined to giggle when listening to testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
, particularly when the deaths of the LaBiancas and that of Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
were discussed. As a result, she quickly lost the sympathy of the jury.
All of the defendants were found guilty of murder and were sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
on March 29, 1971. The death sentences were automatically commuted to life in prison after the California Supreme Court
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
's People v. Anderson decision resulted in the invalidation of all death sentences imposed in California prior to 1972.
Van Houten won a retrial in 1977 on the grounds that her counsel had not effectively represented her at the original trial. The lawyer at her first trial, Ronald Hughes
Ronald Hughes
Ronald Hughes was a court-appointed attorney who represented Manson family member Leslie Van Houten and an alleged Manson family murder victim.-Tate-LaBianca murder trial:...
, had disappeared during the trial and was later found dead. It was alleged that members of the Manson Family killed Hughes, but this has never been proven. Van Houten's second trial ended in a hung jury
Hung jury
A hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
. She was tried a third time, during which she was free on bond. She was found guilty of felony robbery, murder, and conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
to commit murder. Once again, she was sentenced to life in prison.
Parole requests
In 2002, Van Houten filed an appeal of her 2000 parole rejection, which received a hearing in Superior CourtSuperior Courts of California
The Superior Courts of California are the superior courts in the U.S. state of California with general jurisdiction to hear and decide any civil or criminal action which is not specially designated to be heard in some other court or before a government agency...
. Superior Court Judge Bob Krug ordered a new parole hearing, pointing out that at the 1977 retrial, Van Houten was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, but by having served eight years in prison, she was already eligible for parole by 1978. Krug's ruling for Van Houten was overturned on appeal in 2004.
Van Houten was denied parole on August 25, 2004. She was again denied parole on September 7, 2006, her 16th unsuccessful application. At this hearing, she was informed she may apply again one year later as opposed to the usual two years. She was once again denied parole on August 30, 2007, but would be allowed to have a hearing again in two years. Van Houten's August 2009 scheduled parole hearing was postponed until August 2010 after she requested a postponement due to then current legal issues being pursued in court. The legal issues concerned her challenge of the 2004 parole denial in federal court. Van Houten appeared before the parole board for a 19th time on July 6, 2010 and was denied.
Van Houten remains housed in the California Institution for Women
California Institution for Women
California Institution for Women is a female-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California.-Facilities:...
in Chino
Chino, California
Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
, along with Krenwinkel. Filmmaker John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
has actively advocated for Van Houten's parole.