Erik and Lyle Menendez will have another chance to seek parole after California officials granted them an earlier hearing, tentatively scheduled for March 2027.
Erik and Lyle Menendez are expected to appear before the California Board of Parole again next year.
Their new parole suitability hearing is tentatively set for March 2027. That is more than a year earlier than the brothers’ previously expected eligibility date of August 2028.
The brothers were convicted of killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
They were originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Why Are They Now Eligible for Parole?
In May 2025, Erik and Lyle were resentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
Because they were under 26 when the killings happened, the new sentences made them eligible for parole consideration under California law.
However, their first parole requests were denied in August 2025.
The parole board pointed to several prison rule violations. Among them was the brothers’ use of unauthorized cellphones.
Their Family Supports Another Hearing
The Menendez family welcomed the decision to move the hearing forward.
In a statement, family members said the brothers have spent nearly four decades taking responsibility for their actions and working to change their lives.
Their supporters have also pointed to their work inside prison. The brothers have participated in programs and activities aimed at helping other inmates.
For their family, the new hearing gives Erik and Lyle another opportunity to show how much they have changed during their years in prison.
Prosecutors Still Oppose Their Release
The new hearing does not mean the brothers will be released.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman continues to oppose their release.
Prosecutors have argued that the brothers have not fully accepted responsibility for killing their parents. They have also questioned the brothers’ continued claims that they acted after years of alleged abuse.
Erik and Lyle have maintained that they killed their parents because they feared for their lives after years of alleged physical and sexual abuse by their father.
Prosecutors have argued that money was the motive and that the brothers wanted to inherit their parents’ wealth.
What Will Happen at the Hearing?
The March 2027 hearing will give the parole board another chance to review the brothers’ progress.
Officials are expected to consider their behavior in prison, rehabilitation efforts, accountability and whether they could pose a danger if released.
For supporters, the hearing is another chance for Erik and Lyle to show that they have changed after decades behind bars.
For those who oppose their release, the central question is whether the brothers have served enough time for the 1989 killings.
The March 2027 hearing could become another major moment in the long running legal case.
Do you think the Menendez brothers should be granted parole after nearly four decades in prison?
