Melanie Eversley

USA TODAY

A California board granted parole Wednesday to Charles Manson disciple Leslie Van Houten in the 1969 cult killings of grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca.

Van Houten, 68, was the youngest of Manson's followers. The session with the parole board took place at the California Institution for Women in Corona.

Van Houten, who was 19 at the time of the grisly murders, was serving a life sentence.

Wednesday marked Van Houten's 21st appearance before the parole board.

Van Houten also was granted parole last year, but the decision was overturned by Gov. Jerry Brown.

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After a 120-day review process, the governor will have 30 days to approve, reject or do nothing on Wednesday's decision, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Over the course of two nights, Manson followers killed seven people. Among them was actress Sharon Tate. Van Houten took part in the LaBianca deaths on the second night.

Van Houten's lawyers maintain she has been a model prisoner but prosecutors and families of the victims have vehemently opposed her release, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Manson, now 82, is serving a life sentence at California's Corcoran State Prison, according to the Times.

Contributing: Associated Press

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