Family Testifies in Support of Erik Menendez, Board Remains Unmoved

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A California parole board decided this week to keep Erik Menendez, who has been in prison for more than 30 years, from being released on parole. Erik, who was convicted of killing his parents in 1989 along with his brother Lyle, was found to still be “an unreasonable risk to public safety” by the panel, according to a decision that was read at a nearly 10-hour hearing on Monday.

During the hearing, the board looked into Erik’s rehabilitation, behavior in prison, and reasons for and against his release on parole. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, which was represented by four lawyers, asked the board to reject the request for parole. Meanwhile, more than a dozen of Erik’s relatives took the stand in his defense. In the end, the board decided to side with prosecutors, citing Erik’s criminal record as a teenager, the heinousness of the murders, and “serious violations” of prison rules as reasons to keep him behind bars.

The parole board’s decision means Erik will have to wait at least three years before he can file another request to be paroled. Erik, who is now in his 50s, may file a new request as soon as 2026. Parole Commissioner Robert Barton made clear while announcing the ruling that the board’s decision did not simply center on the killings themselves, but also Erik’s behavior while in prison.

“One can be a risk to public safety in a variety of ways through various types of criminal conduct, including some of those for which you were found guilty while in prison,” Barton told Erik. He added that the Menendez brothers should rely on their “great support network” to prevent future violations.

Erik was found guilty in prison for nine violations since his incarceration, including drug possession and possessing contraband, such as a cell phone and lighter. Although several correctional officers wrote letters in support of Erik as a “model inmate,” Barton questioned whether the label fit a person with multiple infractions in prison. Erik told the board that he had only come to believe it was even possible for him to leave prison last year and that his “consequential thinking” changed accordingly.

Relatives of Erik, many of them in tears, offered their testimony during the hearing on his behalf, with most describing the last 35 years as filled with pain and divisiveness. “To say that our family has experienced pain is an understatement of the last 35 years,” Tiffani Lucero-Pastor, the great-niece of the Menendez brothers’ mother, Kitty, said at the hearing. “It has divided us. It has caused us panic and anxiety.”

Others also said Kitty’s failure to stop the alleged abuse inside their home may have only increased their fear. Karen Mae Vandermolen-Copley, a niece of Kitty’s, said her aunt’s “absence of protection deepened their fear and confusion.” Milton Andersen, Kitty’s brother, was reportedly the only relative opposed to Erik’s parole; he died earlier this year.

The family released a statement on Tuesday night that said they disagreed with the decision but respected the parole board’s authority and decision. “Our belief in Erik remains unwavering,” the statement continued. “His remorse, growth, and positive impact he’s had on others speak for themselves. We will continue to stand by him and hold to the hope he can return home soon.”

Brother Lyle to Have Parole Hearing Next, Governor Holds Final Say

Erik’s parole request was denied, but his brother Lyle Menendez will have his day in front of the parole board in the coming weeks. His parole board hearing is set for Friday, and he will also have his record of rehabilitation and prison behavior put under a microscope.

Although Lyle has fewer disciplinary issues in his record than Erik does, the details of the killings could factor into his decision. Lyle, who was 21 at the time of the murders, testified during his 1993 trial that he fired several shotgun blasts into both of his parents’ heads at close range. Barton highlighted this week that his mother’s “death was devoid of human compassion.”

The parole board may also take into consideration how Lyle has changed his story about their father’s abuse. At one point, prosecutors alleged that he even encouraged his girlfriend to lie and claim that his father drugged and raped her. As a result, any claim of abuse may cloud his prospects for parole, even with the support of many relatives who will be testifying on his behalf.

The parole board’s decisions come after both Erik and Lyle were resentenced in May to 50 years to life in prison, which made them eligible for parole for the first time. The trial has long been one of the most famous murder cases in California’s history due to the brothers’ claims that they killed their parents out of fear after years of abuse. However, prosecutors have long claimed that they killed their parents for money, as their father had a sizable fortune.

Governor Gavin Newsom will ultimately decide the brothers’ fate. The governor has the ability, under a 1988 state law, to approve, deny, or modify the board’s decision for those who were convicted of murder and sentenced to an indeterminate term of years. After an internal review process of up to 120 days, the parole board will deliver its decision to Newsom, who then has 30 days to make a decision.