Why Erik Menendez Was Not Granted Parole and What Comes Next

After more than three decades behind bars, Erik Menendez has officially been denied parole.

The 54-year-old appeared before the California parole board on Thursday, August 21, where the decision was made to keep him in prison. Meanwhile, his brother and codefendant, Lyle Menendez, will face his own parole hearing on Friday, August 22, leaving his future uncertain.

Following the ruling, Erik’s family shared their disappointment in a statement. “While we respect the decision, today’s outcome was of course disappointing and not what we hoped for,” relatives said in a prepared statement, according to NewsNation. “But our belief in Erik remains unwavering and we know he will take the Board’s recommendation in stride. His remorse, growth, and the positive impact he’s had on others speak for themselves. We will continue to stand by him and hold to the hope he is able to return home soon.”

Earlier this week, the Menendez brothers’ longtime attorney, Mark Geragos, spoke about how the parole process works. “It’s a very interactive experience, it’s very robust and something people don’t realize: The parole board members that day will retire, deliberate and make a decision each day,” Geragos explained during an appearance on NewsNation’s Cuomo. “I would expect a decision on both of them separately, sequentially, and hopefully it’ll be a decision that gives them their freedom after almost 36 years.”

Geragos argued that both brothers are ready for release, adding that Erik and Lyle are “fascinating, intriguing and deserving of getting parole,” before insisting, “They both should be out.”

The brothers’ case has fascinated the public for decades. Erik and Lyle admitted to killing their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, inside the family’s Beverly Hills mansion in August 1989. At the time, they were just 18 and 21 years old. During their trials, the siblings claimed they acted in self-defense after enduring years of abuse, but prosecutors convinced jurors otherwise. In 1996, both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Interest in the Menendez case was reignited in 2024, following the release of a Netflix documentary and dramatized series. The renewed spotlight prompted former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to recommend that the brothers be resentenced. In May, a judge agreed to reduce their punishment to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole for the first time in decades.

But not everyone believes the brothers should be freed. Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles’ current district attorney, strongly opposed their release on the eve of their hearings.

“The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents, instead continuing to promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago,” Hochman said on Wednesday, August 20. “We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society. We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing.”

Hochman also pushed back against the idea that documentaries or renewed public interest should play any role in the case. “While recent documentaries and films have drawn renewed attention to this case, parole decisions must be based solely on the facts and the law,” he said. “This case, like all cases — especially those that captivate the public — must be viewed with a critical eye. Justice should never be swayed by spectacle.”