Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel, imprisoned half a century, is recommended for parole

Patricia Krenwinkel, convicted of seven murders as one of the most notorious members of the Manson family, was granted parole this week and, barring a move by the full state parole board and governor, will see freedom some 56 years after imprisonment. Krenwinkel was granted parole on a preliminary basis Tuesday at her 18th hearing to gauge her suitability for parole, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. "All grants of parole are proposed decisions and become final only after a thorough and comprehensive review by the Board of Parole Hearings and the Governor," officials with the department said in a statement. It is the third time the inmate, now 78, has been approved for parole over the course of her time in prison. On each of those occasions, the governor's office exercised its authority to prevent her release.