() A woman who sat on the jury of Erik Menendez’s first trial tells she was “disappointed” but unsurprised he was denied parole Thursday night.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were both denied parole for three years by a panel of two California commissioners, at which time they will be eligible again.
Hazel Thornton told “Banfield” that the Menendez brothers would have been convicted of manslaughter, not murder, if they had been tried in 2025.
“It was disappointing, but not surprising,” she remarked about the decision. “I had been informed that approval on the first attempt is rare. So, although it would have been fantastic if they had approved him, I was aware that it might not happen this time.
“I think they are equally deserving of parole, and I think it would be terrible if one of them got it and the other one didn’t,” Thornton added.
“That said, if Lyle did get paroled sooner than Eric, you know, maybe he could pave the way for him.”
Menendez’s advocate, rapper Anerae “X-Raided” Brown, who served 18 years alongside Erik and Lyle Menendez, mentioned on “Banfield” Thursday that the decision represented a “positive outcome” for Menendez.
