Leslie Van Houten, Former Manson Family Member, Released from California Prison

Leslie Van Houten, a former Charles Manson follower and convicted murderer, was released from a California prison on Tuesday after serving 53 years.

Van Houten, now 73, was convicted in 1971 for her role in the killings of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, at their Los Angeles home. She was sentenced to seven years to life in prison.

In May, a state appellate court panel ruled that Van Houten could be eligible for parole. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced on Friday that it would not challenge the ruling, clearing the path for Van Houten's release.

Van Houten's attorney, Nancy Tetreault, said that her client has "gone through courses to confront what she did – to take responsibility for what she did," along with "40 years of psych evaluation" to gain parole.

The release of Van Houten has been met with mixed reactions. Some people believe that she has served her time and should be allowed to live out her life in freedom. Others believe that she is still a danger to society and should not be released.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to release Van Houten was up to the parole board. The board concluded that Van Houten is no longer a threat to society and that she has made significant progress in her rehabilitation.