Lyle Menendez has been denied parole one day after his younger brother, Erik Menendez, had the same result. The brothers, who fatally shot their parents, Kitty and José Menendez in 1989, were initially sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. But that changed earlier this year during a May resentencing hearing when a judge made them eligible for parole. Supporters are still rallying around the Menendez brothers and advocating for their release, as many wonder why Lyle and Erik were denied a chance to walk free.
Find out why Lyle was denied parole and what this means for him and Erik below.
Why Was Lyle Menendez Denied Parole?
Like his younger brother, Lyle was denied parole. The board informed Lyle that they rejected his possibility for parole because there “are still signs” that he is a risk to the public, Parole Commissioner Julie Garland said during the Friday, August 22 hearing, according to multiple outlets.
“We find your remorse is genuine,” Julie continued. “In many ways, you look like you’ve been a model inmate. You have been a model inmate in many ways who has demonstrated the potential for change. But despite all those outward positives, we see you still struggle with anti-social personality traits like deception, minimization and rule breaking that lie beneath that positive surface.”
Julie offered Lyle some hopeful remarks in the end. She advised him, “Don’t ever not have hope. … This denial is not … it’s not the end. It’s a way for you to spend some time to demonstrate, to practice what you preach about who you are, who you want to be.”
What Were Lyle Menendez’s Prison Violations?
Julie noted that Lyle’s “rule breaking” behind bars was part of the board’s reason for denying him — specifically, his illegal long-term use of a cell phone. Julie told Lyle that he lost family visit privileges because of his illegal possession of a phone in March 2024, which he did not argue. Instead, Lyle tried to defend his mobile phone use, saying he tried to stay in touch with his family and that he didn’t believe the phone was harmful to anyone.
Lyle also acknowledged that August 20 was the anniversary of his parents’ murder, calling it a “crushing day for so many in [his] family.”
“I think about all the phone calls on that day with the shattering news and the loss and the grief,” Lyle added.
Why Was Erik Menendez Denied Parole? His Prison Violations
Parole Commissioner Robert Barton told Erik that he was denied parole because of multiple violations throughout his prison sentence, including having at least three altercations with other inmates, committing tax fraud in 2013, smoking marijuana and using supplies to make wine, using a mobile phone, allegedly having “excessive physical contact” with his wife, Tammi Menendez, and having art supplies inside his cell.
“Contrary to your supporters’ beliefs, you have not been a model prisoner, and frankly we find that a little disturbing,” Robert told Erik during his 10-hour hearing.
