Thirty-six years after the infamous murders that shocked America, Lyle Menendez has been denied parole, just one day after his younger brother Erik’s own bid for freedom was rejected by the California Parole Board.
The brothers, who were convicted of killing their parents José and Kitty Menendez in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989, will remain in prison for at least three more years following separate parole hearings this week.
On Friday, after a grueling 10-hour session, the board sided with an earlier assessment from this summer, concluding that both brothers still present a risk to public safety despite decades of incarceration and claims of rehabilitation.
The hearings followed a major legal breakthrough earlier this year when the brothers’ sentences were reduced from life without parole to 50 years to life with the possibility of parole, making them immediately eligible for release. The decision gave supporters hope that the Menendez brothers, now in their 50s, might finally win freedom.
But the hearings ended in disappointment. Only 14 percent of California parole hearings in 2022 resulted in release, and while the odds have improved in recent years amid criminal justice reforms, Erik and Lyle’s long prison records ultimately weighed heavily against them.
Misconduct and Contraband at the Center
Much of the discussion at both hearings centered on contraband cell phones and past rule violations. Erik was cited for gang ties in his early years, smuggling drugs, and repeated cellphone violations, the most recent in January 2024. Lyle’s disciplinary record was somewhat cleaner, but commissioners focused on his own history of burner phone use between 2018 and 2024, as well as past misconduct from before his incarceration, including plagiarism at Princeton and allegations of bribing witnesses during the original trial.
Deputy Parole Commissioner Patrick Reardon noted that Lyle “had a cellphone nearly all the time from 2018 to 2024,” undermining his claims of rehabilitation. Commissioner Julie Garland was equally blunt: “Citizens are expected to follow the rules whether or not there is some incentive to do so.”
Although neither brother’s violations were recent, the board ultimately found they outweighed their good conduct in prison, including mentoring fellow inmates and Lyle’s reputation as a “model prisoner.”
Abuse Claims Resurface
During the hearing, Lyle spoke emotionally about his parents, insisting he loved his mother and acted as protector to Erik, whom he described as the “punching bag” of their father. He reiterated past claims of sexual abuse by their father José, beginning when he was six years old.
At one point, Lyle Menendez was pressed about having abused Erik as a child himself. “I don’t know why I did it,” he admitted. “I think I was just trying to release it from me.”
The brothers’ lawyers argue that newly surfaced evidence supports these long-standing abuse claims. A 2023 Peacock documentary featured testimony from a former Menudo boy band member alleging abuse by José Menendez, along with a letter Erik wrote to a cousin describing ongoing assaults. This evidence was not allowed in the 1996 retrial that cemented their life sentences.
Following the denials, attorneys for the brothers announced plans to pursue a habeas corpus petition in Los Angeles court, using the new evidence as a cornerstone of their appeal.
Family members, who released statements after both decisions, expressed disappointment but not defeat. “While we are of course disappointed by today’s decision as well, we are not discouraged,” the statement read. “We vow to continue the fight and will find hope in the habeas avenue.”
Governor’s Role Looms Large
The Menendez brothers still have one potential avenue left. Under a 1988 state law, California’s governor has the authority to approve, deny, or modify parole board decisions in murder cases with indeterminate sentences. Gov. Gavin Newsom now has the power to intervene once the board’s decision completes an internal 120-day review. At that point, he would have 30 days to affirm or reverse the ruling.
For now, though Erik and Lyle Menendez remain behind bars, their long quest for freedom stalled once again.