Lyle Menendez Denied Parole 36 Years After Murdering Parents By Nicole Acosta

Lyle Menendez has been denied parole decades after he and his brother were convicted of the 1989 shotgun murders of his parents in Beverly Hills.

Lyle, 57, appeared via video conference from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego for his parole hearing on Friday, Aug. 22.

“While we are of course disappointed by today’s decision as well, we are not discouraged,” the Menendez family said in a statement. “The process for parole is exceptionally rigorous, but we are incredibly proud of how Erik and Lyle showed up — with honesty, accountability, and integrity.”

“This is not the end of the road. Both will go before the Board again, and their habeas petition remains under review. In the meantime, we know they will take time to reflect on the Board’s recommendations and will continue to lead, mentor, and build programs that support rehabilitation and hope for others,” the statement continued. “We know they are good men who have done the work to rehabilitate and are remorseful. We love them unconditionally and will continue to stand by them on the journey ahead.” 

The decision comes one day after his younger brother, Erik Menendez, 54, was denied parole. Parole Commissioner Robert Barton said Erik has not been a “model prisoner” and called the brothers’ killings “devoid of human compassion,” the The New York Times reported. 

Lyle and Erik have been imprisoned for over three decades after they were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in August 1989 in their $5 million Beverly Hills, Calif., home.

The brothers have long said they acted in self-defense because they feared for their lives, claiming Jose had sexually abused them both for years with Kitty’s knowledge, and that Jose had threatened to kill them if they told anyone. After the murders, prosecutors said the brothers’ motive was greed and cited their lavish spending spree after the slayings.

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Lyle and Erik were initially sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, a judge resentenced the brothers to 50 years to life in May, making them immediately eligible for parole because they were under 26 at the time of the killings. Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18.