Los Angeles (BN24) – The Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, will go before California’s parole board this week in what marks their closest step toward possible freedom since their convictions nearly three decades ago for the murders of their parents inside their Beverly Hills mansion.
The two brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without parole for the 1989 killings of their father, Jose Menendez, a wealthy entertainment executive, and their mother, Kitty. Erik was 18 and Lyle 21 at the time. Prosecutors argued the motive was financial, saying the brothers shot their parents to secure a multimillion-dollar inheritance. Defense attorneys, however, claimed the brothers acted out of fear after years of sexual abuse by their father, a claim that has remained central to their legal battles and public support campaigns.
Their eligibility for parole came after a Los Angeles judge in May reduced their sentences to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible because California law recognizes offenders under 26 as “youthful” at the time of their crimes.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the parole board will evaluate the brothers individually over video from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Erik’s hearing is scheduled for Thursday, with Lyle’s to follow on Friday. The board will consider their criminal history, the circumstances and motivation behind the murders, expressions of remorse, rehabilitation efforts in prison, and their plans for life if released.
Even if parole is granted, the decision faces further review. The board’s chief counsel has 120 days to examine the ruling, followed by a 30-day review from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who holds final authority to affirm or deny parole. Newsom previously directed the board to conduct a formal risk assessment of the brothers, stressing that the key issue is whether they pose “an unreasonable risk to public safety.”
The parole hearings come amid renewed public interest in the Menendez case. A wave of true-crime documentaries and dramatizations—including Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story—has reignited debate over whether the brothers are murderers driven by greed or victims of long-term abuse. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have also voiced support for their release, and rallies have been held in Los Angeles calling for a reassessment of their convictions.
The brothers’ lawyer, Mark Geragos, has pointed to their rehabilitation, noting their participation in educational programs, self-help classes, and the creation of support groups inside prison. Last year, then–Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón initiated a resentencing petition, which ultimately allowed the brothers the chance for parole. However, prosecutors who opposed the decision argued that the brothers had not fully accepted responsibility for their crimes.
Beyond parole, the Menendez brothers also have a pending habeas corpus petition filed in May 2023 that asks the courts to reexamine their convictions, citing new evidence that they say supports their long-standing allegations of sexual abuse by their father. A judge last month ordered Los Angeles prosecutors to explain why the case should not be reopened.
One media representative has been selected by the corrections department to observe the parole hearings virtually and provide updates to the press at intervals.
