Erik Menendez Denied Parole After Decades for Parents' 1989 Murders

Erik Menendez was denied parole by a California panel after serving decades for the 1989 murders of his parents, with the board citing concerns about his rehabilitation and rule violations despite acknowledging his positive prison contributions. Menendez expressed remorse and apologized to his family, emphasizing the lasting trauma caused by the murders, but prosecutors argued he still poses an unreasonable risk to society and maintains a false self-defense narrative. The parole panel granted a three-year wait before he can reapply, with his brother Lyle Menendez’s parole hearing scheduled for the following day. Both brothers became eligible for parole after a judge reduced their life-without-parole sentences to 50 years to life, partly due to California's juvenile offender law, and their family members largely support their release. Defense attorneys highlighted the brothers' personal growth, educational achievements, and efforts to help other inmates, but the parole board remained unconvinced, especially given the brothers' past rule violations and mixed risk assessments. California Governor Gavin Newsom holds the final authority on parole decisions, adding another layer of review for the Menendez brothers’ potential release.