Menendez brothers granted early parole hearing

(KTLA) — Erik and Lyle Menendez have been granted an early parole suitability hearing, much to the delight of their family. In a statement released on Monday morning, a family spokesperson confirmed that the California Board of Parole granted the brothers the sooner hearing. They were previously eligible for a parole suitability hearing next in Aug. 2028. According to the family spokesperson, the actions of Lyle, now 58, and Erik, now 55, in prison have made loved ones 'incredibly proud of the men they have become,' adding that the pair have 'worked to take responsibility for their actions, confront and heal from the unimaginable abuse and trauma they endured, grow as individuals and dedicate themselves to serving others' for nearly four decades. 'Through efforts such as helping to establish a hospice program and creating Green Space, they have sought to build an environment that reminds people serving life sentences that their lives still have meaning and that, regardless of their circumstances, they can choose each day to grow, heal, accept accountability, and contribute something of value to the world around them,' the spokesperson's statement reads in part. 'Erik and Lyle were once sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. We will always be profoundly grateful that they have been resentenced and that our family can now imagine a future in which they are once again part of our everyday lives.' 'Today's decision is especially meaningful and brings us immeasurable joy as we move one step closer to a future with them that once seemed impossible,' the statement concluded. FILE – This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP, File) The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. They have had several appeal attempts denied in the years since, but their case returned to the spotlight in 2024 when then-Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said he supported resentencing the brothers. After losing his re-election bid, his successor, Nathan Hochman, stated he was not in favor of resentencing. Despite Hochman's stance, the brothers were eventually resentenced to 50-years-to-life in May 2025, making them eligible for parole under California's youthful offender parole law. They were each denied parole in August 2025 and originally would not have been able to request parole until August 2028. Monday's announcement of the early parole suitability hearing, however, moves that timeframe up to March 2027. More information regarding the advancement of a person's next parole suitability hearing is available on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website.