The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, have been denied parole in California after serving more than 30 years for killing their parents in 1989.
Menendez brothers denied parole after decades in prison
The decision comes as a major setback, as many had speculated the brothers might finally walk free following recent legal developments.
Parole is when a prisoner is released early under strict conditions, but only if they are no longer considered a danger to society. Both Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez were told by different parole boards this week that they remain an “unreasonable risk” to the public if released.
Why the parole board said no
Lyle Menendez, now 57, appeared before a parole board on Friday, 22 August 2025 (early morning 23 August SAST). His hearing lasted more than 10 hours.
The panel acknowledged the positive steps he had taken in prison, such as helping other inmates and creating programmes, but said they still saw troubling behaviour. Commissioner Julie Garland told him:
“We find your remorse is genuine. But despite all those positives, you still struggle with anti-social traits like deception, minimisation, and rule breaking.”
The board highlighted Lyle’s repeated use of contraband cell phones in prison, most recently in March 2025, as proof that he continues to break rules. Garland said:
“Incarcerated people who break rules are more likely to break rules in society.”
Lyle expressed deep regret, saying:
“I’m profoundly sorry for who I was… I will never be able to make up for the harm and grief I caused everyone in my family.”
Similarly, Erik Menendez faced his parole board a day earlier, on Thursday, 21 August 2025. His hearing also stretched for hours. Commissioner Barton told him bluntly that he had “not been a model prisoner,” pointing to past misconduct and claiming his good behaviour was motivated only by the chance of release.
Erik also apologised, saying:
“I just want my family to understand that I am so unimaginably sorry for what I have put them through from 20 Aug 1989 until this day.”
What happens next
Both brothers were told they can try for parole again in three years, though that period could be reduced to 18 months with good behaviour.
In the meantime, their lawyers are pursuing two other options:
- Clemency request – asking California Governor Gavin Newsom to reduce their sentence or grant a pardon. However, this is politically sensitive, especially since Newsom is considering a presidential run.
- New trial request – their legal team argues that newly uncovered evidence of alleged childhood abuse by their father justifies another trial. A judge is currently reviewing this request, but prosecutors strongly oppose it.
While the parole denials mark another roadblock, the Menendez brothers still have legal options ahead.
The case that shocked America
The Menendez brothers were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in Beverly Hills in 1989. They initially claimed the killings were done by intruders but later admitted to the crime.
During their first trial, their defence argued the brothers acted in self-defence after years of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Prosecutors insisted the motive was financial, saying the brothers wanted access to their father’s fortune.
The first trial ended in a mistrial, but in 1996 a second trial convicted them of first-degree murder.
They were sentenced to life in prison without parole. That sentence was changed in May 2025, when they were re-sentenced to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole.