Life After Manson

Now a silver-haired senior citizen, Patricia Krenwinkel was 21 years old when she participated in the notorious Tate-LaBianca killings that led to her prison sentence. Director Olivia Klaus shows what Krenwinkel's life is like behind bars, while the inmate explains how she fell under the sway of Charles Manson. Born in 1947, Krenwinkel grew up in suburban Los Angeles. Her mother, Dot, describes her as a “very nice, pleasant child,” but Krenwinkel remembers her parents' unhappy marriage and her late sister Charlene's drug problems. After high school, where she never felt like she fit in, Krenwinkel moved in with Charlene. Klaus adds dialogue-free re-enactments to Krenwinkel's voiceover to illustrate what happened next: her involvement in the 1960s party scene led her to Manson, who made her feel loved and gave her life purpose. She believes that he found her to be “someone easy to mold.” From 1967-69, the pair grew from a couple into the Manson Family, as other young drifters joined their tribe. In the wake of their killing spree, Manson, Krenwinkel, and three other Family members stood trial for murder. No descriptions are given of the crime, although Krenwinkel doesn't deny her involvement. The state sentenced her to death for three of the seven murders, but she would end up serving for life after California abolished the death penalty. Klaus includes footage of the 1993 parole hearing in which Patti Tate, Sharon Tate's sister, testified against her. Krenwinkel appears to regret her actions, and she has now been incarcerated for longer than any other woman in California. A sobering portrait, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)