Erik and Lyle Menendez are set to appear before California’s parole board this week, nearly 30 years after their convictions for murdering their parents in Beverly Hills. Erik’s hearing is scheduled for Thursday, followed by Lyle’s on Friday, both via videoconference from Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
The brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life without parole for the 1989 killings of Jose and Kitty Menendez. Prosecutors argued they were driven by greed, while the defense claimed years of abuse led to the murders. In May 2025, a judge reduced their sentences to 50 years to life under a California law allowing parole consideration for offenders under 26 at the time of their crimes.
Parole commissioners will review their conduct, rehabilitation, and remorse before making a recommendation. Even if granted release, Gov. Gavin Newsom will have the final say. Prosecutors remain opposed, insisting the brothers have never fully accepted responsibility.
The hearings come amid renewed cultural attention through documentaries and shifting public sentiment, marking a pivotal moment in one of America’s most infamous criminal cases.
