Menendez Brothers Resentenced, Now Eligible for Parole After 35 Years

• May 14, 2025

Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted of killing their parents in 1989, have had their life sentences reduced, making them eligible for parole after more than three decades in prison. A Los Angeles judge ruled on Tuesday to change their original punishment of life without parole to 50 years to life, giving the brothers a chance at freedom.

The resentencing followed an emotional court hearing where both brothers admitted full responsibility for the brutal murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, inside their Beverly Hills mansion. Judge Michael Jesic said he believed they had shown enough reform to deserve a chance at parole, stating, "I do believe they've done enough over the last 35 years that one day they should get that chance."

The Menendez brothers, who were 21 and 18 at the time of the killings, have been pushing for sentence reductions for two years. Their campaign gained public attention with celebrity support, including from Kim Kardashian, and was fueled by the Netflix miniseries Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

Their crimes were once seen as a greedy attempt to inherit a large family fortune. During their trials in the 1990s, prosecutors described how the brothers shot Jose Menendez five times, including in the kneecaps, and killed Kitty Menendez as she crawled away in desperation. Initially blaming a mafia hit, the brothers later confessed and claimed they acted out of fear after years of emotional and sexual abuse by their father.

On Tuesday, both brothers spoke to the court via videolink. Lyle, now 57, admitted he chose to murder his parents, saying, “I take full responsibility for all my choices.” Erik, 54, echoed this, saying he was “truly sorry” and that his actions had been cruel and cowardly.

Family members also spoke in support of the brothers, highlighting their rehabilitation and work with terminally ill inmates. Their cousin, Anamaria Baralt, urged the judge to grant them a second chance, saying, “We believe that 35 years is enough.” Diane Hernandez, Kitty Menendez’s niece, described the brothers as “remarkable human beings” and said they would not break the law if released.

Despite opposition from Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who criticized the brothers’ history of changing their stories, the resentencing went ahead. Under California law, if the parole board recommends their release, Governor Gavin Newsom will have the final say on whether they go free. A parole hearing is scheduled for next month.