Menendez brothers to be evaluated by parole board for release after 30
years in prison
[August 19, 2025]
By JAIMIE DING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Menendez brothers are set to make their cases for
parole starting Thursday, marking the closest they've been to winning
freedom from prison since their convictions almost 30 years ago for
murdering their parents.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison 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. While defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of
self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors
said the brothers killed 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 for parole
under California law because they were under the ages of 26 when they
committed their crimes.
A panel or two or three parole hearing officers from a board of
commissioners appointed by the governor will evaluate the brothers
individually. Erik Menendez will have his hearing Thursday morning,
followed by Lyle Menendez on Friday, over videoconference from the
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
The board will assess whether the brothers pose an “unreasonable risk of
danger to society” if released, considering factors like criminal
history, motivation for the crime and signs of remorse, behavior while
in prison and plans for the future, according to the California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Even if the board grants their parole, it could still be months before
the brothers walk free — if at all. If the board grants each brother's
parole, the chief legal counsel has 120 days to review the case. Then
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has 30 days to affirm or deny the parole.
Only then, if Newsom affirms the parole, would the Menendez brothers be
able to leave prison.
Newsom had previously ordered the state parole board to conduct a risk
assessment of the brothers in response to a clemency request. At the
time, he emphasized that the key question was whether the brothers posed
an “unreasonable risk to public safety.”
He noted at a May news conference that he has both approved and rejected
decisions by the parole board before and that he was the “ultimate
arbiter.”
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This combination of two booking photos provided by the California
Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle
Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP, File)
The brothers' lawyer, Mark Geragos, sought release last month for
Erik Menendez after he was hospitalized for a “serious medical
condition.” He has since returned to prison.
The case has captured the attention of true crime enthusiasts for
decades and spawned documentaries, television specials and
dramatizations. The Netflix drama “ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik
Menendez Story " and the documentary “The Menendez Brothers," both
released in 2024, have been credited for bringing new attention to
the brothers.
In the last year, weigh-in from celebrities such as Kim Kardashian
and a greater recognition of the brothers as victims of sexual abuse
has helped amass a legion of supporters who have called for their
release. Some have flown to Los Angeles over the past few months,
holding rallies and attending court hearings as the brothers'
attorneys pushed for their resentencing.
The previous LA County district attorney, George Gascón, first
opened the door to possible freedom for the brothers last fall by
asking a judge to reduce their sentences. Since their conviction,
the brothers have gotten an education, participated in self-help
classes and started various support groups for fellow people in
prison, his office said in a petition.
The judge’s decision to ultimately resentence the brothers followed
months of pushback from current prosecutors, who argued the brothers
hadn’t taken adequate responsibility for their crimes.
The Menendez brothers still have a pending habeas corpus petition
filed in May 2023 seeking a review of their convictions based on new
evidence supporting their claims of sexual abuse by their father.
Last month, a different judge ordered Los Angeles prosecutors to
explain why their case shouldn't be reexamined.
The state corrections department has selected one media
representative to view the proceedings virtually and share notes
with the rest of the press at set intervals.
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