FRONTERA, Sept. 5 – Calling her crimes “heinous, atrocious and cruel,” a hearing panel Wednesday denied parole for the seventh time to Patricia Krenwinkel, a member of the infamous Manson family that killed seven people in 1969.

The three-member panel ruled Krenwinkel, 37, is still a danger to society and needs further psychological evaluation and therapy before a release date could be set.

Krenwinkel will not have another parole hearing for three years, though the panel had the option of setting an earlier hearing.

She was last denied parole in 1982, when the new law changed the annual parole hearings for life prisoners to three-year periods. Wednesday’s was her seventh hearing.

The panel took 40 minutes in deciding not to set a release date for the convicted mass murderer.

Krenwinkel fled California when the August 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders were linked to Charles Manson. She was brought back to the state from Alabama and was tried and convicted of seven murders and a count of conspiracy to commit murder.

During two nights of violence in August 1969, members of the Charles Manson “family” killed seven people.

On Aug. 9, 1969, they invaded a Bel-Air home leased by actress Sharon Tate and her movie director husband Roman Polanski, who was not at home.

Under Manson’s orders, Krenwinkel participated in the stabbing and shooting murders of Tate, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, and friends Jay Sebring, Voityck Frykowski and Abigail Folger along with a friend of the caretaker, Steven Parent.

The following day, grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary were slain in their Los Feliz home by Manson “family” members.

Krenwinkel confessed, saying she stabbed Folger 28 times.

The only remorse she has ever shown was after stabbing Folger, when she said she hurt her hand from stabbing her bones, said Steven Kay, a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney.

Manson described Krenwinkel as a complete reflection of him, Kay said — more like him than any other member of the family.

After Krenwinkel stabbed Mrs. LaBianca with a knife taken from the victims’ kitchen, she carved the word “war” into the abdomen of Mr. LaBianca — and then ate food from their refrigerator, Kay said.

“The murders were done for the basest motive possible: to start a race war between blacks and whites,” he said.

At his trial, Manson said he hoped to precipitate a race war which he called “Helter Skelter,” after a song by the Beatles.

Convicted Manson family members’ Krenwinkle, Leslie Van Houten, Charles “Tex” Watson and Susan Denise Atkins all remain behind bars.

Kay quoted liberally from a 1981 psychiatric report which said Krenwinkel’s violence potential remains very high and which said she had deep-seated personality disorders which could break out again in a free environment.

That evaluation was disputed by Krenwinkel’s attorney, Wendy Park of Santa Ana, who said previous reports on her client shouldn’t be considered.

“The question before the panel is, is there a danger to the community on this particular date,” Park insisted.

Citing Krenwinkel’s above average work reports while in prison and her lack of “disciplinaries,” Park said Krenwinkel’s adjustment to prison life and her preparation for release has been exceptional.

“She’s an educated person wanting to help others, not hurt them,” Park said.

Park said Krenwinkel has put herself into every group therapy program available and volunteers her time to help others.

“After 16 years of punishment, the woman has matured into a person who will not hurt society but will help it,” Park said.

But parole panel chairman Joseph Aceto said the enormity of Krenwinkel’s offense “requires more evaluation before we can set a date.”

He said Krenwinkel committed her crimes in a “heinous, atrocious and cruel manner.”

After the hearing, Kay said under no circumstances would the Los Angeles district attorney not object to the setting of a release date for Krenwinkel.

He also said her good prison record doesn’t mean a thing.

“Just because she’s doing well in prison doesn’t mean she can do well on the outside,” Kay said. “They’re two different things.”

Krenwinkel was sentenced in 1971 and has since earned a bachelor’s degree in human services and has taken electronics courses.

During her incarceration she has worked with the yard crew, as a lifeguard and has worked with an informational group for life term prisoners.

In response to a panel question, Krenwinkel said she would like to do secretarial work or electronics when she is released.

By EDWARD SIMONS