Menendez Brothers Given March 2027 Parole Hearing

Erik and Lyle Menendez were granted on Monday an early parole suitability hearing, tentatively scheduled for March 2027. The brothers were originally sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Relatives had spent years seeking resentencing and release. In May 2025, Erik and Lyle Menendez were resentenced to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole. Because of the resentencing, they returned for parole consideration, but the board rejected their application in August 2025.

Early Parole Suitability Hearing

The hearing granted this week is earlier than the next opportunity they would have had to apply for a parole suitability review with the California Board of Parole in August 2028. Such hearings are used to assess whether someone serving a prison sentence can be considered for release.

In a statement to KABC, the brothers’ family said Erik and Lyle have spent almost 40 years taking responsibility for their actions, addressing abuse and trauma they say they endured, and working to grow while serving others. The family also said the men have set up a hospice programme and launched a beautification project during their more than three decades in prison. The statement added that the brothers were once sentenced to life without parole and that the family is grateful for the resentencing, saying it can now imagine them returning to everyday life.

Parole Denied Last Year

The brothers were denied parole in August 2025 after the board cited violations while in custody, including illegal cellphones. The parole board said it was not suitable to grant parole based on their conduct in prison, despite the family’s contention that they have been model prisoners. The board’s decision meant they did not move forward with parole at that time. Erik Menendez was reportedly linked to a prison gang at one time.

Trials, Convictions And Resentencing

At trial in 1993, prosecutors alleged that Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their wealthy parents for financial gain, after the slayings were followed by a spending spree. The defence argued that the brothers acted in self-defence after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father. Juries were deadlocked and mistrials were declared for both cases. A second trial in 1996, during which the judge barred much of the sex abuse evidence, led to convictions of first-degree murder and two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole. Following further court proceedings, the May 2025 resentencing to 50 years to life reopened the possibility of parole hearings, culminating in the current suitability schedule.

Join the discussion?

8 September 2026