The following is a letter written by Leno LaBianca's ex-wife.
This was submitted to Leslie Van Houten's parole board in 1998.
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Manson and his minions thrust our family name into public focus when they murdered Sharon 
Tate and her house guest one night, then they killed my former husband and his wife in a 
most brutal manner the next night. Their shocking criminal actions became known as the 
TATE-LABIANCA MURDERS. We lost our privacy and our obscurity. 

My family never became vocal, we did not become activist, we relied on the justice system 
to seek and find the justice that was due us. We have never been asked by the District 
Attorney's Office to participate in opposing the release of any of the killers. After 
all, they all received the death penalty, and that was all our family could expect. 

But we can no longer remain silent. Let me preface my remarks by this statement: 

We do not desire to become activist. We do not desire to be bombarded by the media and 
have our privacy destroyed. Yet, we must make a statement about the parole hearing for 
convicted murderer, Leslie Van Houten. 

She entered the home of Leno, father of my children, that August 10th, 1969. She 
participated in the deaths in that home. I know, she says she only stabbed Rosemary after 
she was already dead from the relentless stabbing of Tex Watson. I know she denies having 
stabbed Leno. I even understand she has been a model prisoner for all these years. It 
doesn't matter! 

Leslie Van Houten has been fed, given medical care, clothed and housed for nearly thirty 
years. I understand she even completed a college degree and a Masters degree. My children 
had no such gifts. They, like other law-abiding citizens growing up, have had to face 
the realities of life without the help of their father. It has not been easy for them. 
I know Ms. Van Houten has a web site with Susan Atkins. I know she has a lot of friends 
who work for her freedom. That is unfortunate. 

Leslie Van Houten chose her own path. She chose to follow the instructions of Charles 
Manson. She chose drug crazed killers as her family and she became one of them. But what 
about my family? When do we get our parole? When does Leno get his parole? 

Sympathy for these killers, and especially this one is misplaced. Sympathy, understanding, 
and compassion should be given to the victims of murder and not the killers. In all these 
years, not one of those killers have expressed remorse to our family, - not even Leslie 
Van Houten who says she did the least in the murders. If she is really ready for parole 
then amends to the family should have already been done. 

When Leslie's father appeared on Larry King Live, my family was denied speaking on air 
by the producers to answer Mr. Van Houten's accusations that the LaBianca's didn't care!! 
Not one of us was allowed on the show. 

Make no mistake about it, the entire LaBianca family has suffered untold deprivation, 
frustration, anxiety and financial ruin because of these murders. Leno's mother died of 
a broken heart just six years after her son's murder, losing the business to merciless 
creditors - the family business that Leno was managing and she and Leno's father had 
founded in the late 1920's. 

We emphatically oppose the release of any of the Manson menage. When the death penalty 
was repealed after their convictions, their sentences were converted to Life with 
possibility of parole. Even the California State Legislature found that unacceptable! 
They voted to make the entire Manson family an exception! The California voters also 
took action so we now have "Life without parole," as it should be! 

It's a sacrilege to Leno's memory that the family has to be confronted with parole 
hearings for these individuals every few years. We are glad for her maturity and her 
model prisoner status, but that does not equate to freedom. We also want to say that 
Suzanne LaBerge, daughter of Rosemary, the murdered wife of Leno at the time, does 
not represent the LaBianca family. She certainly did not represent us at that May 4, 
1990 parole hearing for Tex Watson, when she made that pathetic appeal for his release 
because she "forgave" him. 

As Ms. Van Houten continues her incarceration, let her continue to remember that what 
she did that fateful night was forever. The Manson family mark on this society is deep. 
As deep as the stab wounds to their helpless victims.