Erik and Lyle Menendez, notorious for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, have been granted their first opportunity for freedom in decades.
A Los Angeles judge on Tuesday reduced their original sentences of life without parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
The brutal killings of the entertainment executive and his wife in their Beverly Hills mansion shocked the nation. I an initial 911 call, placed by Lyle Menendez, he painted a picture of a potential Mafia hit or a consequence of Jose Menendez’s business dealings.
At the time, Lyle was attending Princeton University, and his younger brother, Erik, was a rising tennis star.
The brothers’ subsequent arrest and conviction captivated the public. Their defense, centered on claims of years of abuse at the hands of their father, fuelled a national debate about the nature of abuse and its potential consequences.
This new ruling marks a significant development in a case that has gripped the public’s attention for over three decades.
Here’s what to know:
Coming on the heels of the O.J. Simpson trial, the nation was hungry for true crime TV. The brothers’ first trial was one of the first to be almost entirely televised on Court TV. It spawned documentaries, television specials and dramatizations.
The Netflix drama ” Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ” and the documentary “The Menendez Brothers,” released in the fall of 2024, have been credited for bringing new attention to the case.
The brothers’ lawyers turned to family members and those who knew the brothers since their conviction to speak to their character and rehabilitation in prison in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic.
The Menendez family have supported the brothers and called for their release since their resentencing effort began last fall.
Prosecutors, who have opposed the brothers’ resentencing, did not call any witnesses. They’ve argued the brothers haven’t taken full responsibility for their crimes.
Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared virtually to read their statements to the court.
“You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better,” Erik Menendez said, addressing his family.
