"Release of Manson Cult Follower Leslie Van Houten After 53 Years Sparks Controversy"

Leslie Van Houten, a member of Charles Manson's cult, has been released from prison after spending over 50 years behind bars for her involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders. Van Houten is the only follower to have been granted parole. The Manson "family" carried out a series of brutal killings in 1969, targeting Hollywood figures and others. Manson, the cult leader, died in 2017 after spending nearly 50 years in prison. Other key players in the murders include Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Charles "Tex" Watson, who remain in prison. The victims of the Manson family killings include actress Sharon Tate, hairstylist Jay Sebring, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, aspiring screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski, teenager Steven Parent, and grocer Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.