Erik and Lyle Menendez will be eligible to appear before a parole board again in March 2027, approximately 17 months sooner than their previously scheduled August 2028 hearing. A Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences in May 2025 from life to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole because they were under age 26 when the crimes occurred.
The brothers were originally sentenced in 1996 for the 1989 fatal shootings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home. They were denied parole in August 2025, with the board citing Lyle Menendez's "anti-social personality traits like deception" and Erik Menendez's violation of prison rules for using a cellphone.
Following the denial, they were next eligible for a hearing in August 2028. Their petitions for an earlier hearing were granted, leading to the March 2027 date.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation permits eligible prisoners to request earlier parole if there is a "change in circumstances or new information indicating the person may be suitable for parole." The department did not immediately comment on the specific reasons for granting the Menendez brothers an earlier hearing.
According to Michael Beckman, a California attorney specializing in parole law, parole denials can be reviewed after one year to determine if a hearing can be moved up. He noted that while an advanced hearing could theoretically suggest a higher likelihood of parole, outcomes are dependent on the parole commissioners and the specific merits of the inmate's request.
Beckman, who represented Charles Manson follower Bruce Davis, highlighted that high-profile cases like the Menendez brothers' can present additional challenges. The case has garnered significant public attention, particularly in recent years following renewed interest from media portrayals.
Weeks after their parole denial last year, a judge rejected their petition to review their convictions based on new evidence supporting claims of sexual abuse by their father. The family has stated that the brothers have worked to take responsibility for their actions, confront their past trauma, and engage in self-improvement and service within prison. They have reportedly helped establish a hospice program and a beautification program at the San Diego prison where they are housed.
The brothers were tried separately in 1994, with both juries initially deadlocked. Prosecutors argued the killings were for financial gain, while the defense contended the acts were in self-defense following years of alleged emotional and sexual abuse by their father. A subsequent joint trial in 1996, where much of the defense's abuse evidence was excluded, resulted in both brothers being convicted of first-degree murder.