CrimeOnline’s Nancy Grace says Leslie Van Houten “should absolutely not be released” after serving 53 years in prison for her part in the infamous Manson family murders in 1969.

As CrimeOnline reported, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has decided not to appeal to the state supreme court after an appeals court in May overturned his denial of parole for the 73-year-old inmate. The governor and the state parole board have been in a tug of war over Van Houten’s release for years, with the parole board recommending release five times only to see the governor — first Jerry Brown and now Newsom — ignore the recommendation and deny parole.

But this year, an appeals court reversed Newsom’s decision. Saying he didn’t believe an appeal was likely to succeed, and that he was disappointed, the governor announced last week he would not ask the higher court to reverse the appeals court decision.

Grace told Fox News that she, too, is “disappointed,” but with the governor himself.

“There are some crimes from which there’s no coming back,” she said. “This is one of those crimes.”

“When you look at her now, she looks like a respectable librarian,” she continued. “But that is not how she looked in 1969 when she took part in the murders of the LaBianca family, Leno and Rosemary.”

The murders of the LaBiancas came the day after the murders of actress Sharon Tate and four more people. Van Houten, then 19, did not participate in those murders. She was sentenced to death, but her sentence was commuted to life in prison when California abolished the death penalty.

Grace had harsh words for Newsom. “I think like many politicians he does what suits him at the time which helps him attain what he wants,” she said. “Why give up now? I guess the political winds have shifted.”

Most important to consider, Grace said, are the families of the victims.

“As long as the victim’s families say no (to a release), that should be respected,” she said.

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[Featured image: Fox News screenshot]