Possible Parole?: Menendez Brothers Scheduled for Parole Board Hearings
This week, a parole board will decide if convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez will finally be released from prison after 30 years. It is one of several new developments in the high-profile case
In March 2025, Tales From the Underworld covered the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez, one of the most shocking and high-profile cases of the late 1980s. Recent developments within the past few months have brought the case back into the public eye.
Erik and Lyle Menendez, two brothers imprisoned after the infamous 1989 double murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, have been the subject of media and public attention in recent years. Many have been calling for a resentencing and retrial, insisting that the Menendez brothers deserve justice and a second chance at life.
After three decades in prison, the Menendez brothers were finally granted a resentencing hearing, resulting in both Erik and Lyle becoming eligible for parole. With parole hearings upcoming this week, the brothers are also pushing for a retrial in light of new evidence highlighting the extent of the abuse they suffered.
As developments unfold, the world will undoubtedly be watching, wondering what will happen next in the Menendez brothers’ case.
Backstory
Lyle and Erik Menendez grew up in Beverly Hills, California, during the 1970s and 80s. The brothers lived in a lavish mansion, thanks to the success of their father, José, a Hollywood film executive. Despite their life of luxury, Lyle and Erik insisted that their father was overbearing, controlling, and abusive, and they also claimed their mother was emotionally unstable and never stood up for her sons.
Allegedly, their father had gone as far as threatening to remove both sons from his will in a fit of anger, furious that his authority over the lives of his now-adult sons was slipping.
Then, on August 20th, 1989, something happened that would change the course of the Menendez brothers’ lives forever. On that fateful night, José and Kitty Menendez were discovered dead in their home. José had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest, while Kitty suffered similar injuries and additional wounds post-mortem.
Lyle and Erik, who were 21 and 18 at the time, reported that they had returned home that night to find their parents murdered. The brothers painted a picture of an unknown intruder, likely targeting the family for their wealth.
However, suspicion soon shifted towards Lyle and Erik, as, following the death of their parents, the pair wasted no time in blowing through their inheritance, spending lavish sums on shopping sprees and extravagant vacations.
The breakthrough in the case came months later through an unexpected avenue. Erik had been seeing psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel in the wake of his parents’ murder. After numerous sessions, a guilt-riddled Erik finally confessed to Dr. Oziel that he and Lyle were responsible for their parents’ death.
While this normally would have been kept confidential between a patient and his doctor, Dr. Oziel’s mistress had been secretly recording his sessions. After Erik made his confession, she decided to leak the recordings, which promptly resulted in Erik and Lyle being arrested in March of 1990.
The first trial commenced in 1993, with Erik and Lyle being tried together. The trial did not yield a verdict- the prosecution painted a picture of two greedy and ungrateful children who murdered their parents to inherit their wealth, while the defense told heart-wrenching tales of two victims of horrific abuse that had finally snapped after years of torment.
The second trial occurred two years later in 1995, and the presiding judge limited the extent to which the defense was able to claim prior abuse. With the victim angle diminished substantially, the jury ruled in favor of the prosecution.
In 1996, after the highly sensationalized trial, Erik and Lyle Menendez were found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The brothers were reprimanded to Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego, California.
Since their incarceration, both brothers have filed multiple appeals to no avail. While in prison, Erik and Lyle have been nothing short of model inmates, continuing their education, mentoring other prisoners, and creating various programs.
Pressure for Re-examination
The Menendez brothers’ case has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to documentaries and other media coverage bringing the story back into the spotlight.
Social media movements in the 2020s have made demands for justice and public pressure for a retrial in the Menendez brothers’ case. George Gascón, former L.A. County district attorney, previously filed a petition for a retrial, but 2024 district attorney elect Nathan Hochman made clear in December of 2024 that he will see to it that the petition is withdrawn.
