The Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, are once again at the center of national attention as they approach their long-awaited parole hearings this week, a pivotal moment that could determine whether they walk free after more than three decades behind bars. Their story, infamous since the 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills, has gripped the public imagination for years, but never has the prospect of their release felt so close—or so contentious.
According to reporting from ABC 7 and the Associated Press, the hearings are set to take place remotely on Thursday, August 21, 2025, for Erik, and Friday, August 22, 2025, for Lyle. Both hearings will be held via videoconference from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, where the brothers have been incarcerated since their conviction in 1996 for the brutal killing of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. At the time of the crime, Erik was just 18 and Lyle was 21.
This week’s parole hearings mark the closest the brothers have come to possible freedom since their sentencing. Their eligibility for parole follows a significant legal development in May 2025, when a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life. The change was based on California law, which allows individuals who committed crimes under the age of 26 to be considered for parole after serving a certain period. The hearings will be conducted separately, with different parole board members and lawyers from the district attorney’s office each day, as highlighted by their attorney Mark Geragos. "Each brother, if you will, stands or falls on their own," Geragos explained, emphasizing the individualized nature of the proceedings.
The parole board, consisting of two or three commissioners appointed by the governor, will evaluate whether Erik and Lyle Menendez pose an “unreasonable risk of danger to society” if released. The assessment will take into account their criminal history, the motivation for their crimes, any signs of remorse, behavior during their incarceration, and their plans for the future, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Even if the board grants parole, the process is far from over: the chief legal counsel will have 120 days to review the decision, after which Governor Gavin Newsom will have 30 days to either affirm or deny the release. Newsom, who has described himself as the “ultimate arbiter,” has previously both approved and rejected parole board decisions. As he noted at a May news conference, the central question is whether the brothers still pose an “unreasonable risk to public safety.”
The Menendez case has always been a lightning rod for debate, with sharply divided opinions over the brothers’ motives and culpability. During their original trials, defense attorneys argued that Erik and Lyle acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father, a claim that has gained renewed attention in recent years. Prosecutors, however, maintained that the brothers killed their parents to secure a multimillion-dollar inheritance. The tension between these narratives has only intensified as new evidence and shifting social attitudes have emerged.
Public support for the Menendez brothers has grown, fueled in part by recent documentaries and dramatizations. The Netflix drama “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and the documentary “The Menendez Brothers,” both released in 2024, have brought the case back into the spotlight. According to the Associated Press, these productions, along with high-profile endorsements from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, have helped amass a legion of supporters. Over the past year, some have flown to Los Angeles to attend rallies and court hearings, advocating for the brothers’ release and recognition as victims of abuse.
The legal journey leading up to this week’s hearings has been complex. The previous Los Angeles County district attorney, George Gascón, initiated the resentencing process last fall by asking a judge to reduce the brothers’ sentences, citing their age at the time of the crime and their conduct in prison. Since their conviction, Erik and Lyle have pursued education, participated in self-help classes, and started support groups for fellow inmates. These efforts were highlighted in a petition from Gascón’s office, which argued that the brothers had demonstrated meaningful rehabilitation.
However, not everyone agrees with the push for release. Current Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman officially opposed the brothers’ bid for parole earlier this month, arguing that they have not taken adequate responsibility for their crimes. This sentiment echoes the concerns of prosecutors who have consistently challenged the narrative of abuse and questioned the brothers’ expressions of remorse. The judge’s decision to resentence the brothers came only after months of legal wrangling and pushback from the district attorney’s office.
Adding another layer of complexity, the Menendez brothers have a pending habeas corpus petition filed in May 2023, seeking a review of their convictions based on new evidence supporting their claims of sexual abuse by their father. Just last month, a different judge ordered Los Angeles prosecutors to explain why the case should not be reexamined, signaling that the legal saga is far from over, regardless of the outcome of the parole hearings.
Erik Menendez’s recent health scare has also drawn attention. Last month, his attorney sought release after Erik was hospitalized for a “serious medical condition,” though he has since returned to prison. This episode has added urgency to the proceedings for some supporters, who argue that the brothers’ continued incarceration serves no public safety purpose.
The parole hearings themselves are tightly controlled. The state corrections department has allowed only one media representative to view the proceedings virtually, with the responsibility of sharing notes with the rest of the press at set intervals. This limited access underscores the high-profile nature of the case and the intense public interest it continues to generate.
Ultimately, the fate of Erik and Lyle Menendez now rests in the hands of the parole board and, ultimately, Governor Newsom. If the board recommends release and Newsom affirms the decision, the brothers could soon walk free for the first time since their arrest in 1989. But even now, decades after the crime, the Menendez case remains a mirror for society’s ongoing debates about justice, redemption, and the possibility of change.
