Topics: Menendez Brothers, Explained, US News, News, Crime, True Crime
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and sexual abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Last week, it was announced to the world the outcome of Erik and Lyle Menendez's eagerly anticipated parole hearing.
The hearing itself came over 30 years after the Menendez brothers committed the double murder of their parents, a chilling decade-spanning true-crime case which recently saw a renewed interest after it became the subject of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story last year.
Erik and Lyle's case not only attracted the interest of civilians and true-crime sleuths alike, but also that of celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Cooper Koch - who played Erik in Murphy's Monster TV series.
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But what will happen to the brothers, who are now 54 and 57 respectively, following last week's verdict?
Lyle and Erik Menendez murdered their parents, José and Kitty, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. The killing involved multiple shotgun blasts, sixteen shots total, fired at close range.
Lyle was 21 while his younger brother, Erik, was 18 at the time.
Initially, the pair told police that their parents' deaths were a result of a mafia hit, but they were eventually arrested after Erik confessed to the crime during a therapy session.
During the highly televised trials, both brothers claimed they suffered years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by their father. They added that their mother knew of such abuse chose to do nothing.
The self-defence plea was ultimately rejected with prosecutors arguing that the motive was greed as, after the murders, the brothers went on a lavish spending spree with their parents' money.
This led to their conviction in 1996, seven years on from the murders, in which Erik and Lyle were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Despite such an initial sentence, a judge later resentenced the brothers to 50 years to life, rather than life without parole in May of this year.
As they were under age 26 at the time of the murders, they were immediately eligible for parole consideration.
The resentencing update followed the emergence of new evidence supporting the brothers' claims of sexual abuse by their father, including a letter from Erik describing abuse as well as testimony from former musician Roy Rosselló who claimed he was drugged and raped by José at the family's Los Angeles property when he was 14.
Erik's hearing took place on Thursday of last week (21 August) while his older brother Lyle's happened the following day on Friday (22 August).
Both were denied parole for three years.
Denial reasons cited by commissioners included rule violations in prison, their explanations for the murders and their risk of reoffending.
Leaked audio from Erik’s hearing was released publicly the day after his parole hearing, which sparked family outrage.
Both Erik and Lyle may apply for an earlier parole review in about 18 months, or they can wait the standard three years before reapplying.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
