Up next
Author
Share this @internewscast.com
FacebookXRedditPinterest
Key Points
  • In 1989, Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle murdered their parents.
  • Their sentence was reduced to 50 years to life earlier this year, making them eligible for parole.
  • Lyle’s parole board hearing is also taking place this week.
After decades in prison for murdering his parents, Erik Menendez was denied parole.
On Friday AEST, a California commissioner panel ruled against granting him parole for another three years, a case that continues to captivate the public.
A parole hearing for Lyle, his brother held in the same San Diego prison, is slated for later this week.
During the all-day hearing, the commissioners decided to keep Erik imprisoned after interrogating him about the crime and his rule violations in prison.
After a judge commuted their sentences in May from life without parole to 50 years to life, the brothers became eligible for parole. This was the closest they have approached potential release since their conviction almost 30 years ago for the murders.

In 1996, they were sentenced to life imprisonment for killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home.

Two men wearing suits and ties sitting in a courtroom.

Their eligibility for parole came after a judge reduced their sentences in May from life without parole to 50 years to life. Source: AAP / Nick Ut/AP

While defence lawyers argued that the brothers acted out of self-defence after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors said the brothers sought a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

A judge reduced their sentences in May, and they became immediately eligible for parole.
Erik made his case to two parole commissioners, offering his most detailed account in years of how he was raised, why he made the choices he did, and how he transformed in prison.
He noted the hearing fell almost exactly 36 years after he killed his parents — on 20 August 1989.
“Today is August 21st. Today is the day that all of my victims learned my parents were dead. So today is the anniversary of their trauma journey,” he said, referring to his family members.
The state corrections department chose a single reporter to watch the videoconference and share details with the rest of the press.

In a photo shared by officials, Erik appeared grey-haired and wearing glasses, seated in front of a computer screen in a blue T-shirt laid over a white long-sleeve shirt.
A man with short grey hair and wearing glasses and a blue short-sleeved smock over a long-sleeved white t-shirt. He is sitting at a chair at a desk and looking at a grey monitor.

Erik Menendez appeared before the parole board via video. Source: AAP / AP

The panel of commissioners scrutinised every rules violation and fight on his lengthy prison record, including allegations that he worked with a prison gang, bought drugs, used mobile phones and helped with a tax scam.

He told commissioners that since he had no hope of ever getting out then, he prioritised protecting himself over following the rules.
Then last autumn, LA prosecutors asked a judge to resentence him and his brother — opening the door to parole.
“In November of 2024, now the consequences mattered,” he said. “Now the consequences meant I was destroying my life.”
Erik’s parole attorney, Heidi Rummel, emphasised 2013 as the turning point for her client.
“He found his faith. He became accountable to his higher power. He found sobriety and made a promise to his mother on her birthday,” Rummel said.
“Has he been perfect since 2013? No. But he has been remarkable.”
More than a dozen of their relatives, who have advocated for the brothers’ release for months, delivered emotional statements at Thursday’s hearing via videoconference.
Share this @internewscast.com
FacebookXRedditPinterest
You May Also Like
Hundreds dead in mass Iran protests, activists say

Activists Report Hundreds Killed Amid Ongoing Protests in Iran

A crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran has killed at least 538…
Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed has met with former Prime Minister and current Australian ambassador Kevin Rudd in the latest engagement on his trip to the US.

Bondi Hero Ahmed al-Ahmed Connects with Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd During U.S. Visit

Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed has met with former Prime Minister and current…
Stefan Di Benedetto started an alcohol start-up and hasn't looked back

Entrepreneur Overcomes Financial Challenges and Setbacks in Launching Start-up in Competitive Market, Maintains Optimism

When Stefan Di Benedetto decided to take a bold leap into entrepreneurship,…

Australians Experience Relief as Cool Temperatures Follow Intense Heatwave: Here’s the Science Behind the Shift

Australians in the nation’s south-east have woken up to a steep drop…

Nobel Committee Clarifies Prize Rules Following Machado’s Proposal to Transfer Award to Trump

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has engaged in conversations about…

Torres Strait Islands Commemorate 90th Anniversary of Influential Worker Strike

90 years ago, Torres Strait Islander workers in the pearl shell industry…

Preparing for Pet Loss: Developing a Grief Plan for Your Beloved Canine Companions

Furry friend or public pest? Not everyone wants to be pawed by…

Shocking Road Rage Incident: Prominent Muslim Leader and Wife Victims of Alleged Assault in Melbourne

In a disturbing incident near Melbourne, an imam and his wife were…
Childcare centre shut down in Sydney for failing to meet standards

Sydney Childcare Centre Closed Due to Non-Compliance with Standards

A Sydney childcare centre is the first to be shut down amid…
A family is grateful to be alive after they were forced to huddle together inside a shipping container as flames tore through their home.Isabel Bafunno, 81, said they tried to put out the fire when it reached their remote Caveat property in Victoria, but "it was hopeless".

From Devastation to Innovation: Family Transforms Shipping Container into New Home After Fire

A family narrowly escaped disaster as they huddled inside a shipping container…

Unprecedented Wildlife Takeover: Australian Marsupial Thrives on Remote British Island

Simon Archer says the Isle of Man is steeped in stories. The…
Sendle shuts down

Parcel Delivery Company Sendle Abruptly Ceases Operations

Australian parcel and courier service Sendle has suddenly ceased operations, leaving small…