Menendez Brothers Face Parole Board After 35 Years in Prison for Parents’ Murders

More than three decades after the shotgun killings that shocked Beverly Hills and fascinated America, Lyle and Erik Menendez are back in the spotlight, this time not in a courtroom, but before California’s parole board.

The brothers, now in their 50s, will appear in back-to-back hearings this week, hoping to convince officials that they have changed since the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez.

From Wealth to Notoriety

The case has haunted American culture since the night the brothers killed their wealthy parents in their Beverly Hills mansion. Prosecutors described the murders as a cold-blooded bid to inherit the family fortune. The brutality was unforgettable: José Menendez shot five times, including in the knees, and Kitty shot as she tried to crawl away.

The Menendez brothers first claimed their parents were killed in a mafia hit before their story unraveled. Erik, then just 18, confessed to a therapist, and the pair later argued they had acted out of fear after years of alleged sexual and emotional abuse by their father.

That defense, controversial at the time, foreshadowed later shifts in how society talks about trauma and abuse helping turn the brothers into figures of morbid fascination, bolstered by TV shows, docudramas, and even a recent Netflix series.

Seeking Redemption Behind Bars

Supporters argue that the brothers are no longer the impulsive young men who shocked the nation. A coalition of family and friends insists they’ve shown “sustained growth” and “sincere remorse” during 35 years behind bars, pointing to their work mentoring other inmates.

But not everyone is convinced. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who opposed their resentencing earlier this year, argues that the brothers have shifted their stories too many times to be trusted. “The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents,” he said.

What Happens Next

The parole hearings, held in Sacramento but closed to the public, are expected to last a few hours each. The brothers will appear by video link from their San Diego prison cells. A small panel will weigh everything from their prison records to statements from prosecutors and surviving family members.

Even if parole is recommended, freedom won’t come quickly. The decision must first be reviewed internally a process that could take months, before landing on the desk of California Governor Gavin Newsom. He has the power to uphold, reverse, or send the decision back. Newsom’s track record suggests he won’t take the matter lightly; in 2022, he famously blocked parole for Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy.

A Nation Still Divided

Public opinion remains as split as it was in the 1990s. On social media, some argue the brothers deserve a second chance, citing their youth at the time and claims of abuse. Others insist the sheer brutality of the murders and the shifting stories, make them unfit for release.

More than 35 years later, the Menendez saga remains less about whether they pulled the trigger (they admit they did) and more about whether America believes redemption is possible after one of its most infamous crimes.

{Source: The Citizen}

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