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Could Charles Manson Be Granted Parole?

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on April 06, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

New photos of Charles Manson were released on Thursday to much Internet fanfare. The cult leader and convicted killer is looking decidedly haggard, but remains easily identifiable by the swastika tattooed on his forehead.

The photos, which were taken at a California correctional facility, have surfaced just one week before his twelfth parole hearing. Yes, on April 11, Charles Manson is up for parole.

Could it be granted?

Unlikely. The California Board of Parole has denied Charles Manson parole eleven times since the 1970's. At his last hearing in 2007, the Los Angeles Times reports board members felt that he "continues to pose an unreasonable danger to others and may still bring harm to anyone he would come in contact with."

It's doubtful that this assessment has changed.

Manson has not attended a parole hearing in 15 years, according to CNN. In 2007, he even refused to undergo a psychological evaluation. Since then, he's threatened a corrections officer, acquired a weapon (a sharpened pen) and been found in possession of a contraband cell phone.

Even if his psychological status has improved, these infractions will likely persuade the state to deny him parole. The Parole Board must determine whether an individual poses an unreasonable risk of danger to society if released. If Manson has displayed dangerous and threatening behavior while behind bars, there's a good chance he will continue to do so if released.

So as it stands, there's little, if any, chance that the state will grant Charles Manson parole.

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