For decades, the Menendez brothers’ story has haunted American true crime lore, but this August, a surprising wave of public sympathy and celebrity advocacy is converging as Erik and Lyle Menendez face the possibility of parole. The brothers, convicted in 1996 for the 1989 murders of their parents, Kitty and José Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion, are now at the center of renewed debate—one that blends viral social media campaigns, Netflix dramatizations, and personal stories of redemption inside prison walls.
The case, infamous for its brutality and the brothers’ claims of years-long sexual abuse by their father, has been thrust back into the spotlight over the past year. According to reporting by Team 10 in San Diego, the resurgence is largely credited to the Netflix anthology Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and the viral reach of TikTok, which have introduced a new generation to the complexities of the Menendez saga. As a result, prison staff at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJDCF) have found themselves inundated with attention—some of it bordering on obsession.
Documents obtained by Team 10 reveal that fans, emboldened by the brothers’ newfound notoriety, have attempted to send them hot meals and gifts. In October 2024, a correctional lieutenant at the prison sent an urgent email to staff warning of an “obsessed civilian” from Brooklyn who was trying to arrange an “Uber Eats” delivery for the Menendez brothers. “She appears to be an obsessed civilian trying to send a package and 'Uber eats' for the Menendez Brothers. Please notify both staff entrances and the OP sergeant to keep a look out,” the lieutenant wrote. The fan, undeterred, lamented her inability to send Lavazza coffee due to website restrictions.
This public fascination is not just a curiosity—it has real consequences for the brothers’ day-to-day lives and their prospects for freedom. In May 2025, a Los Angeles judge resentenced Erik and Lyle to life sentences with parole eligibility, a dramatic shift from their original sentences of life without parole. The judge cited their “remarkable” efforts at rehabilitation, effectively handing the final decision to the parole board, which will hear their cases on August 21 and 22, 2025.
Inside RJDCF, the brothers have not been idle. They have spearheaded a variety of volunteer projects, most notably a greenspace initiative aimed at improving the prison yard. According to prison records, real estate developers have even offered substantial funding and contractor help to support the project. The brothers’ efforts have drawn the attention of high-profile supporters, including the CEO of a major streaming company who requested to play pickleball with them—though that request was ultimately denied by prison officials. Nevertheless, pickleball has become a popular pastime at RJDCF, with Emily Humpal, spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, confirming its role in fostering “camaraderie and friendly competition” among inmates as part of their rehabilitation.
Perhaps the most prominent advocate for the Menendez brothers at this pivotal moment is American actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell. As reported by Latin Times, O’Donnell announced she will testify on Lyle’s behalf at the parole hearing, describing herself as “very excited about that” and expressing hope that “justice has to finally win for these men.” Her relationship with Lyle stretches back to the mid-1990s, when she first voiced sympathy for the brothers in a televised interview. Though she did not respond to Lyle’s heartfelt letter at the time, the two reconnected in 2022 after the Netflix series and TikTok content reignited public interest. Their renewed bond has since deepened, with O’Donnell describing Lyle as “one of my closest friends.”
O’Donnell’s support is rooted in more than celebrity activism; it’s personal. She has visited RJDCF, observed the programs the brothers have built—including the Greenspace Project, a service dog initiative pairing trained dogs with veterans and autistic children, and Erik’s leadership in prison art—and even adopted a service dog for her autistic son, Clay, at Lyle’s suggestion. O’Donnell has spoken candidly about her own experience with childhood abuse, drawing a parallel to the Menendez brothers’ claims. “I know from a personal place that what he was saying was true,” she said, referencing Lyle’s account of parental abuse. She has been in frequent contact with Lyle, sometimes speaking several times a week, and plans to use her testimony to highlight the brothers’ transformation into “men of compassion, leadership, and service.”
The Netflix series itself has played a complicated role in the Menendez narrative. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, series co-creator Ian Brennan reflected on the challenge of dramatizing a case where “the true story… is not known and not knowable.” Brennan admitted, “There are four people who know the truth of the story, two of them are dead, and two have remained consistent with their story, which does have a lot of holes in it and at certain points does beggar belief.” He noted that while the show has drawn criticism from the brothers for some inaccuracies, it also sparked a much-needed conversation about believing victims and the obligations of the law. “Now, people are much more prone to believe victims. Whereas, it wasn’t even in the vocabulary a generation ago. So that is good. It does run the risk of forgetting that there were two people killed. A lot of people experience sexual abuse, and they don’t do this. The law still has an obligation to set rules.”
Brennan’s comments underscore the enduring ambiguity at the heart of the Menendez case—a story that, after all these years, remains as confounding as it is compelling. The brothers’ testimony has shifted over time, and their narrative, as Brennan put it, “involved a lot of lies,” but also, perhaps, “a lot of truth.” The Netflix series has not only brought the case to a new audience but has also contributed to the groundswell of public support that now surrounds the brothers as they approach their parole hearings.
The hearings themselves promise to be a focal point for this renewed debate. Rosie O’Donnell’s testimony will likely be a highlight, but she is not alone in advocating for the brothers’ release. Prison records show a growing list of supporters eager to contribute to the brothers’ volunteer projects or speak on their behalf. As the parole board weighs its decision, it must sift through a thicket of media narratives, personal transformations, and unresolved questions about justice, accountability, and redemption.
Meanwhile, the Menendez brothers’ story continues to reverberate beyond the prison walls. Future seasons of the Monsters anthology will tackle other notorious cases, but for now, all eyes are on Erik and Lyle—two men whose fate, for better or worse, has become a litmus test for America’s evolving attitudes toward crime, punishment, and the possibility of change.
As the parole hearings approach, the Menendez saga stands as a reminder of how stories—true, dramatized, or somewhere in between—can shape lives, sway public opinion, and, perhaps, tip the scales of justice.
