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Salon
Salon
Politics
Kelly McClure

Tate's sister on Van Houten's release

In response to the news that former Charles Manson follower, Leslie Van Houten, was released on Tuesday after being confined to a California prison for her involvement in the 1969 murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, Debra Tate — the sister of Manson cult victim Sharon Tate — says it's "likely" that she'll kill again.

In an interview with TMZ, Tate says the families of Manson's victims are "absolutely terrified because there's a fear she could resort to her killing ways again in a heartbeat." Having petitioned for the denial of her parole for years, she says "she's disappointed in the criminal justice system in the state, and especially the governor's office ... which she thinks really dropped the ball in not fighting harder against Van Houten's release."

Now 73-years-old, Van Houten was only 19 when she and fellow Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel — aided by Tex Watson — stabbed Rosemary LaBianca to death in her own home. In variations of her testimony over the years, Van Houten claims to have primarily stabbed LaBianca after she was already dead. Now free, Van Houten "will seek employment that builds on the bachelor's and master's degrees in humanities that she earned while in prison," according to her attorney via a quote obtained from CNN

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