SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KABC) — One day after his brother’s bid for freedom was denied, Lyle Menendez will go before a parole board Friday after spending decades in prison for murdering their parents in 1989.
Erik Menendez’s virtual parole hearing on Thursday and lasted 10 hours. Lyle’s will likely also take most of the day, though he will face a different panel than his brother did.
The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 during a retrial and sentenced to life in prison without parole. After a years-long battle, the Menendez brothers were resentenced to 50 years to life with the possibility of parole. Due to that resentencing, they became eligible for parole hearings under youth offender parole laws.
Following Thursday’s extensive hearing, the board denied parole for Erik, who will have to remain in prison for three more years until he can be eligible for parole again.
Erik Menendez was denied parole during his first-ever parole hearing, 36 years after he and his brother killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
“I imagine that Lyle and his team are discourage to see them give such an effort for this and still come up short,” said legal analyst Josh Ritter. “It’s probably a good indicator as how things may turn out.”
The parole found that Erik continues to pose an unreasonable risk to public safety, citing his pre-murder burglaries, the killing of his mother and his cellphone use violations behind bars.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman commended the board’s decision, calling it “justice for Jose and Kitty Menendez.”
After Thursday’s hearing, the Menendez family issued a statement saying that they respect the decision but called the outcome “disappointing and not what we hoped for.”
They family says they will continue to call for both Erik and Lyle’s release. Many are expected to speak again as Lyle makes his case before the parole board Friday.
A news conference is planned in Los Angeles once the hearing wraps up.
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