Real-life Menendez brothers now eligible for parole after resentencing

More than three decades after the shocking murders of their parents, Erik and Lyle Menendez have been granted a path toward potential release from prison.

A Los Angeles judge on Tuesday reduced their sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life, making both men immediately eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law.

The decision marks a major turning point in a case that has remained in the public spotlight since the 1989 killings of Hollywood executive José Menendez and his wife Kitty in their Beverly Hills mansion.

Initially framed as a possible mob-related crime by Lyle Menendez in a 911 call, the case took a sensational turn when the brothers were arrested and tried for murder.

Now aged in their 50s, the Menendez brothers appeared via video call during the resentencing hearing.

Erik Menendez addressed his family in court, saying, "You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better." Judge Michael Jesic announced the sentence reduction shortly after hearing the brothers’ statements.

The brothers' parole eligibility falls under a state law allowing those who committed crimes under age 26 to be considered for release.

Erik was 18 and Lyle 21 at the time of the killings. A parole board hearing is already scheduled for June 13 as part of a clemency request submitted to Governor Gavin Newsom.

It is unclear whether that hearing will double as their formal parole review.

Legal analyst Anne Bremner said the brothers will face pressure to demonstrate their rehabilitation. “My guess is the parole board has been watching this… They know what the crimes were and what the brothers have done since incarceration.”

If parole is granted, Newsom has the authority to overturn the decision. Alternatively, if parole is denied, the brothers will continue to receive future hearings.

Separately, a 2023 habeas corpus petition citing new evidence of sexual abuse remains pending, with prosecutors having filed a motion to oppose it.

The Menendez brothers' story has seen renewed public interest thanks to the Netflix drama Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and a 2024 documentary.

The case continues to provoke debate about justice, abuse, and redemption.