A Los Angeles judge agreed with the governor 's decision to reject parole for a Charles Manson follower imprisoned 43 years for two brutal murders . Bruce Davis ' record shows there is 'some evidence ' he is dangerous and should n't be freed , Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan wrote in a decision filed Wednesday . Davis , 72 , was convicted in the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald 'Shorty ' Shea and sentenced to life in prison in 1972 . He was 30 years old at the time . Then and now : Bruce Davis , Charles Manson 's former follower ( pictured left in 1970 and right in March 2014 ) , has been denied parole after spending 43 years in prison for a double homicide in 1969 . Bloodthirsty : Bruce Davis held Gary Hinman , a friend , at gunpoint while Charles Manson ( pictured ) sliced his face open with a sword . Davis , who once bragged of cutting Shea 's head off , claimed he has turned his life around in prison , earning a doctoral degree in philosophy , becoming religious and ministering to other inmates . He also married a woman he met through the prison ministry , and has a grown daughter . The couple recently divorced . The parole board cited those accomplishments , along with his age and good behavior as reasons to grant him parole in March last year . Gov . Jerry Brown rejected that decision in August , saying factors in his favor were outweighed by the brutality of the killings and Davis ' lack of insight into the crimes , which he did n't admit until 2012 after claiming for years to be an innocent bystander . The Manson family planned to rob Hinman , a friend , but killed him after holding him two days because he said he did n't have money . Davis held Hinman at gunpoint while Manson sliced his face open with a sword . About a month later , Davis stabbed Shea , who worked at Spahn Ranch where the family lived . His body was found buried on the property years later . Homicidal maniac : Charles Manson , pictured left in 2011 , orchestrated the murders of eight people in 1969 , including actress Sharon Tate ( right ) . Davis did not play a part in her slaying . 'Both victims were abused , defiled and mutilated , ' Ryan wrote . 'These actions demonstrate the utmost callous disregard for human suffering . ' The judge said he gave broad deference to Brown 's discretion and that the governor 's decision in August did n't amount to cruel or unusual punishment . Davis ' lawyer had not seen the decision , but said he would appeal to a higher court . ' I 'm stunned . I ca n't believe he would do that , ' attorney Michael Evan Beckman said . 'The judge is wrong . ' The parole board has found Davis suitable for release three times , but Brown and former Gov . Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed the decision each time . Steve Grogan , another participant in those murders , was released many years ago after he agreed to lead police to where the bodies were buried on a remote movie ranch in the San Fernando Valley . Captured : Steve Grogan ( left ) and Bruce Davis ( right ) enter court to be tried for murder in 1970 . Brainwashed : Manson family murderers Susan Atkins , Patricia Krenwinkle and Leslie van Houton . Davis was not involved in the notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate , the pregnant wife of director Roman Polanski , and six others and was considered a better candidate for release . Manson and three followers , Leslie Van Houten , Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles 'Tex ' Watson , remain in prison for life in the Tate killings . Co-defendant Susan Atkins died of cancer behind bars in 2009 .
Bruce Davis , 72 , was convicted in 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald 'Shorty ' Shea . California Gov . Jerry Brown rejected parole board 's decision to release Davis citing brutality of the killings . Davis claimed he 's changed in prison , earning a PhD and becoming a minister .