Menendez Brothers Denied Release at Parole Hearings

Erik and Lyle Menendez were denied parole after separate hearings in front of a panel of California Board of Parole Hearings commissioners who cited various instances of misconduct by both while in prison. The denials delay the possibility of release for the brothers, who were convicted of the 1989 shooting murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. Erik and Lyle, who were 18 and 21 at the time of the murders, have maintained they acted in self-defense after suffering years of sexual abuse by their father. They also claim their mother knew about the alleged abuse yet did nothing to stop it. “While we are of course disappointed by [the] decision as well, we are not discouraged,” the Menendez family said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of how Erik and Lyle showed up—with honesty, accountability and integrity.”

- LIAM QUINN