The Menendez brothers will present their cases for parole, marking the closest they have come to securing freedom since their convictions nearly 30 years ago for murdering their parents.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to life imprisonment for fatally shooting their father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. They were 18 and 21 at the time. Defense attorneys argued the brothers acted in self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father; prosecutors claimed they murdered their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
The brothers became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge in May reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible under California law because they were under 26 when they committed their crimes.
A panel of two or three parole hearing officers will evaluate the brothers individually. Erik Menendez will have his hearing Thursday morning, followed by Lyle Menendez on Friday, via video conference from prison in San Diego.
If the board grants parole, a 120-day review period will follow. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom then has 30 days to affirm or deny the parole.
Key points
- What you need to know about the Menendez brothers' parole hearings
- Kyle and Erik Menendez will present cases by video link from prison on Thursday and Friday
- If the board grants parole, a 120-day review period will follow
- California Governor Gavin Newsom will have the final word
What you need to know about the Menendez brothers' parole hearings
12:57 , James LiddellErik Menendez will present his case for parole this morning, with his brother Lyle following on Friday, bringing the pair closer than ever to freedom nearly 30 years after their conviction for murdering their parents.
Here’s what you need to know:
- In 1996, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life without parole for the 1989 murders, a trial that captivated a nation already gripped by true crime in the wake of the O.J. Simpson case
- After decades behind bars, the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition in 2023, seeking a review of new evidence, which was initially not granted
- In October 2024, LA County DA George Gascón recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them eligible for parole
- Gascón lost his race for reelection to Nathan Hochman in November, with the new DA revealing this February his move to deny the brothers’ habeas corpus petition
- A month later, Hochul announced he asked the court to withdraw Gascón’s motion for resentencing, which Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic denied in April
- In May, Jesic resentenced the brothers from life to 50 years to life, a major step in their bid for freedom
- If granted parole, the chief counsel has 120 days to review the case before final approval, denial, or modification by California Governor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom has avoided watching Neflix hit series on Menendez brothers
14:59 , James LiddellCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has been repeatedly told to watch Ryan Murphy’s drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. J, which premiered on Netflix last September.
Newsom, who could eventually decide the brothers’ fate, said on his podcast last month that he has avoided the series so it doesn’t influence his judgment.
“I don’t want to be persuaded by something that’s not in the files,” he said.
The Menendez family statement in full
14:30 , James LiddellThe Menendez family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition released a statement on Wednesday ahead of the brothers’ parole board hearings.
“As always, our family remains cautiously optimistic, grounding ourselves in the reality that California’s parole process is incredibly rigorous, with low grant rates. We respect that and know Erik and Lyle are prepared for that level of scrutiny.
“For more than 35 years, they have shown sustained growth. They’ve taken full accountability. They express sincere remorse to our family to this day and have built a meaningful life defined by purpose and service. Something that has really stayed with us, especially as we near the parole hearings, is what Judge Jesic said during resentencing: that while Erik and Lyle have a stellar record, it was the letters of support from individuals who had never spoken up for an incarcerated person before that impacted him most. It’s a reminder that no paper file can fully capture a person’s character. But we see it. Correctional staff see it. Now, we hope the parole commissioners will see the same.
We know that Erik and Lyle will come home, that is no longer a doubt. We just hope that they are granted this second chance in time to hug their Aunt Joan and Aunt Terry.”
Who is on the parole board?
14:00 , James LiddellThe California parole board is made up of 21 full-time commissioners and a two or three person panel.
The specific members of the paro panel evaluating Erik and Lyle Menendez during their hearings today and tomorrow have not been publicly disclosed.
LA County DA: 'Brothers never fully accepted responsibility for horrific murders'
13:29 , James LiddellAfter voicing opposition to the resentencing and parole of the Menendez brothers, L.A. County’s top law enforcement official has not softened his stance.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he believes Lyle and Erik Menendez “have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents.”
Hochman argued that the brothers “promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago,” and claimed that they “have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated.”
Erik Menendez hearing expected to commence at 8.30 a.m. this morning
12:45 , James LiddellErik Menendez is expected to face the parole board at 8.30 a.m. PDT, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The hearing, taking place virtually from a room in the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, is expected to last between two and three hours.
The parole board is likely to make a decision immediately, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The CDCR does not live-stream the parole hearings, despite them being a matter of public record.
Lyle Menendez is due to take place at the same time tomorrow.
Here's what happens if the Menendez brothers are denied parole
12:15 , James LiddellIf Erik and Lyle Menendez are denied parole during their hearings over the next two days, it would be years until they could attempt to gain their freedom.
If an inmate is denied parole, California law dictates that the board schedule another hearing three, five, seven, 10 or 15 years in the future, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The inmate can petition to bring the hearing date forward.
According to CDCR data, last year, 31 percent of cases from across 3,764 hearings were granted parole.
What the parole board could consider
11:45 , James LiddellAlong with disciplinary records while incarcerated, the parole board could review the Menendez brothers’ track record of rehabilitative work and support from some correctional officials.
Erik and Lyle Menendez are both classified as low-risk prisoners.
They do, however, have nine and eight rule violation reports, respectively, according to the district attorney’s office. They include being found with cell phones and possessing contraband to fighting with other inmates.
The board might also consider risk assessments that have been conducted by a forensic psychologist at the request of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Erik has helped start at least five programs, including a support group for disabled and elderly inmates.
Lyle co-founded several groups, including a Green Space program that plans to install trees, plants and gathering spaces in the prison yard.
Why were the Menendez brothers' murder sentences reduced?
11:15 , James LiddellIn May, a California judge resentenced the Menendez brothers, giving them a shot at freedom after the siblings served three decades in prison for the 1989 shotgun murder of their parents.
The sentences of Erik, 54, and Lyle, 57, were reduced from life without parole to 50 years to life, which made them eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law because they committed the crime under the age of 26.
The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic in May was issued after the brothers’ loved ones pleaded with the court, claiming the two were “different men” than who they were at the time of the killings, and that they had been “universally forgiven by the family.”
Jesic said he did not believe the brothers posed an “unreasonable risk” to the public if released, with the caveat, “I’m not saying they should be released,” adding: “It’s not for me to decide.”
Erik Menendez’s wife hopes today’s hearing opens a ‘new chapter’
10:46 , James LiddellErik Menendez’s wife hopes today’s parole hearing can close a dark chapter and start a new one after her husband’s three decades behind bars.
Tammi Menendez, who married Erik in Folsom State Prison’s waiting room in 1999 after he proposed a year earlier in the prison’s visiting room, expressed her words of support in a late-night X post on Wednesday.
“Wishing my amazing husband all the love and strength for his parole hearing tomorrow. I believe in you and can’t wait for this new chapter together. You've got this,!” she tweeted, along with the hashtag “newbeginnings.”
As brothers prepare to face parole board, the Menendez family is ‘cautiously optimistic’
10:15 , James LiddellThe family of Erik and Lyle Menendez said it is “cautiously optimistic” that the brothers will be granted parole after three decades behind bars.
“As always, our family remains cautiously optimistic, grounding ourselves in the reality that California's parole process is incredibly rigorous, with low grant rates,” the family said in a statement.
“We respect that and know Erik and Lyle are prepared for that level of scrutiny.”
The family created the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition and has advocated for the brothers’ release for years.
They claimed the brothers have shown “sincere remorse” and taken full responsibility for the murders.
Menendez brothers' lawyer: ‘They should be out’
09:44 , James LiddellMark Geragos, the attorney for Lyle and Erik Menendez, said that the brothers are “deserving” of parole and “should be out” of prison.
Speaking to NewsNation’s Cuomo earlier this week, Gergos said: “They are being judged separately. They each are fascinating, intriguing and deserving of getting parole. They both should be out.”
Gergos also explained what the brothers might say to the parole board in their respective hearings on Thursday and Friday.
“I think on Thursday, what you will see with Erik is a lot of discussion about the programs that he’s instituted. Not the least of which is the hospice program, which he pioneered in California,” he said.
“I think when you get to Lyle on Friday, you’re going to hear about the green space program. This is a back-and-forth.”
Erik Menendez was hospitalized earlier this month
09:16 , James LiddellErik Menendez, one of the brothers serving a 50 years-to-life sentence for the 1989 murders of his parents in Beverly Hills, returned to state prison in California after being hospitalized last month for kidney problems, according to a family member.
“My dad is out of the hospital and back at the prison, preparing for our upcoming parole hearing,” his stepdaughter, Talia Menendez, wrote on Instagram stories, TMZ reported earlier this month.
Menendez was temporarily removed from the San Diego-area Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in July and hospitalized for about a week for what his attorney called a “serious medical condition.”
Josh Marcus has more:
Menendez brothers to appear separately by video link from prison
08:45 , James LiddellThe Menendez brothers’ high-stakes hearings are not scheduled to occur on the same days.
Erik Menendez's parole suitability hearing is scheduled to begin Thursday morning, while Lyle Menendez’s hearing is set to commence Friday.
The brothers are expected to dial in separately via video from their prison in San Diego.
Mark Geragos, the attorney for Erik and Lyle, said that each brother “stands or falls on their own.”
“There will be different parole board members each day. There will be different lawyers from the D.A.'s office each day, as well, is my understanding,” he said. “And you're going to have a different proceeding. Each brother, if you will, stands or falls on their own.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom will have 30 days to affirm or deny the parole
08:39 , James LiddellThe case would then be sent to California Governor Gavin Newsom, who would then have 30 days to either approve, deny or modify the decision.
If Newsom approves parole, the Menendez brothers would be eligible for release from prison.
It takes about five months to finalize the decision, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
If the board grants parole, a 120-day review period will follow
08:34 , James LiddellIf the board grants Erik and Lyle Menendez parole, the brothers still face more hurdles before release.
The decision is considered a “proposed decision” and the board’s chief counsel has 120 days to review the case for legal or factual errors.
What happened in the notorious 1989 murder?
08:27 , James Liddell, Associated PressJose and Kitty Menendez died after sustaining shotgun wounds on August 20, 1989, in their Beverly Hills mansion.
Their son, Lyle Menendez, called 911, with the brothers initially claiming the killing was Mafia-related or connected to their father’s business dealings.
The brothers went on spending sprees, buying Rolex watches, cars and houses.
Two months later, Erik Menendez told his psychologist, Jerome Oziel, that he and his brother killed their parents. In the spring of 1990, both Lyle and Erik Menendez were arrested and charged in connection with their parents’ deaths.
Coming on the heels of the O.J. Simpson trial, the nation was hungry for true crime television and the Menendez murder case captured the public’s attention. The brothers’ first trial was one of the first to be almost entirely televised on Court TV.
Menendez brothers to face parole board seeking freedom after 30 years in prison
08:19 , James LiddellThe Menendez brothers will present their cases for parole as they push for their freedom almost 30 years after being convicted of murdering their parents.
A panel of two or three parole hearing officers will evaluate Erik and Lyle Menendez individually. Erik Menendez will have his hearing Thursday morning, followed by Lyle Menendez on Friday, via video conference from prison in San Diego.
The brothers became eligible for parole in May when a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life.
Under California law, they immediately became eligible because they were under 26 when they committed their crimes.
