After Tuesday's Resentencing, What's Next for the Menendez Brothers?
Erik and Lyle Menendez were resentenced Tuesday to 50 years to life for the 1989 murders of their parents, making them immediately eligible for parole. With a new sentence and their freedom potentially on the horizon, what else lies in the brothers' paths before they could be released from prison?
For years, true crime lovers were captivated by the Menendez case, which saw Erik and Lyle kill their father and mother, José and Mary Louise 'Kitty' Menendez. At the time, prosecutors argued that they murdered their parents for monetary benefit, while the defense argued they were acting out of self-defense after years of abuse at the hands of José.
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A brand new wave of attention on the case ignited in September with the release of Ryan Murphy's Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, following the 2023 release of a Peacock documentary where a former Menudo boy band member, Roy Rosselló, alleged José sexually assaulted him. Netflix released the accompanying doc The Menendez Brothers in October, less than a month after Monsters, keeping the brothers' case on streaming viewers' radar.
Prosecutors began looking into new evidence (Rosselló's allegations and a letter penned by Erik Menendez that seemingly corroborated his father's abuse) nearly a month after Monsters' debut, supported by then-Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. Gascón, however, lost the November election, making Nathan Hochman the new D.A. And the L.A. wildfires further delayed the Menendez hearings.
After much delay, the Menendez brothers' sentencing hearing kicked off Tuesday and resulted in Judge Michael Jesic resentencing the siblings to 50 years to life, with the possibility of parole. The brothers are immediately eligible for parole due to California's youthful offender law, as they were 21 and 18 years old at the time of the murders. Their initial sentence was life with no possibility of parole, ensuring they'd never leave prison.
Now, with a new sentence and parole on the table, what's next for the Menendez brothers?
As part of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's clemency review of the case, the brothers will appear in front of a parole board on June 13, serving as a piece of the risk assessment exam that will aid the governor's clemency ruling, according to the Associated Press. However, it's unclear if the June hearing will be their formal parole hearing, and if it's not, a new date will be set within six months, according to The Washington Post.
If the brothers are denied parole, they will continue to appear at hearings in front of the board while they remain in prison. Also, if they receive parole, Newsom can still override the decision. Though Newsom ordering the risk assessment probe was seen as a show of support for the brothers from the term-limited governor.
Before Jesic came to his decision, several witnesses vouched for the brothers, including family, prison staff and former inmates. The judge, too, received letters from prison officials that influenced the resentencing. The brothers did not attend the hearing in-person but tuned in virtually where they admitted and took responsibility for the murders.
'On Aug. 20, 1989, I killed my mom and dad. I make no excuses and also no justification,' Lyle Menendez said, via AP. 'The impact of my violent actions on my family… is unfathomable.'
During his time at the hearing, Erik Menendez thanked his family for their support, stating, 'You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better.'
For now, no decision on the fate of the Menendez brothers can be certain until the brothers are seen before a parole board. It's unclear what their future holds, but Tuesday's resentencing was an undeniably big step toward the brothers' potential freedom.
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