Former Manson family member, Leslie Van Houten, has been released from a California prison after serving time for her involvement in the 1969 LaBianca murders. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed her release to parole supervision, marking the end of a lengthy legal battle.

Van Houten, who was 19 at the time of the crimes, participated in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. She will now be under parole supervision for a maximum of three years, with a review after the first year.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who had previously blocked Van Houten's parole attempts, chose not to challenge the latest court ruling that paved the way for her release. While acknowledging the lasting impact of the Manson family's crimes on the victims' families, Newsom ultimately decided against further legal action.

This decision follows a series of parole recommendations that were denied by both Newsom and former Governor Jerry Brown. An appeals court ultimately sided with Van Houten, citing her rehabilitation efforts, remorse, and parole plans as justification for her release.

Van Houten's attorney expressed her client's relief and gratitude for the recognition of her personal transformation. However, the victims' families expressed their heartbreak and renewed trauma at the news. Cory LaBianca, daughter of Leno LaBianca, spoke of the enduring pain of losing her parents and the void their absence has left in her family.

During the trial, Van Houten detailed her role in Rosemary LaBianca's murder, describing how she held down the victim while others stabbed her, before participating in the stabbing herself.