Lyle Menendez has been denied parole, just a day after his younger brother Erik was also refused release, extending their imprisonment more than three decades after the notorious 1989 killings of their parents.
The brothers, convicted of murdering Jose and Kitty Menendez in their Beverly Hills mansion, were each rejected by separate parole panels after lengthy hearings in California. The decision marks a significant setback for the pair, who had appeared closer than ever to freedom following recent legal victories.
At 57, Lyle, long viewed as the more dominant sibling, must wait three years before seeking parole again, though the timeframe could be reduced to 18 months for good behaviour. But commissioners made clear that lingering concerns about his conduct weighed heavily against him.
“We find your remorse is genuine,” parole commissioner Julie Garland told him, noting the personal progress he had made. “But despite all those outward positives, we see … you still struggle with anti-social personality traits like deception, minimisation and rule breaking that lie beneath that positive surface.”
Rule Breaking Overshadows Rehabilitation
A key issue in the board’s decision was Lyle’s persistent illicit use of mobile phones while incarcerated. Commissioners said he appeared to have near-constant access to contraband devices for years, undermining his otherwise positive record of mentoring inmates, pursuing education, and launching prison programmes.
Commissioner Patrick Reardon questioned whether such achievements should be given weight when he was simultaneously breaking prison rules. Records show Lyle admitted to a phone violation as recently as March this year.
Garland explained the rationale bluntly: “incarcerated people who break rules” are more likely to do the same once released.
Though he had access to a state-approved tablet, Lyle admitted to relying on mobile phones for privacy. The board reminded him that cell phones are banned in prisons because they can facilitate smuggling, intimidation, and even escape plots, likening their corrosive effect to drugs.
During the hearing, which lasted more than 10 hours, Lyle acknowledged his failings. “I would never call myself a model incarcerated person. I would say that I’m a good person, that I spent my time helping people. That I’m very open and accepting,” he told the board.
“I’m the guy that officers will come to to resolve conflicts,” he added, describing himself as a “peacekeeper”.
He has earned a degree while in prison, is working toward a master’s, and has been praised for mentoring abuse survivors and contributing to prison improvement projects.
Yet a pre-hearing risk assessment still concluded he poses a “moderate risk” of violence if released, citing traits of entitlement, deception, and repeated rule violations tied to his phone use.
What Comes Next
Both Lyle and Erik remain eligible to reapply for parole in three years, and Governor Gavin Newsom is separately weighing a clemency request that could shorten their sentences or even grant a pardon.
The brothers are also seeking a new trial, citing newly uncovered evidence of alleged sexual abuse by their father, a claim prosecutors strongly contest.
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutor Ethan Milius argued against release, questioning whether Lyle had ever truly taken responsibility.
“There is no growth. It is just who Lyle appears to be,” he said. “When you look at him, Lyle has a long-documented history of lies made to avoid the consequences of his own actions.”
Supporters, including family members, spoke on his behalf, insisting he had transformed. His cousin, Eileen Cano, told the panel: “While most people surrender to the crushing weight of prison life, Lyle rose above it. Lyle will not be a risk to the community because we as a family will hold him accountable.”
For now, though, the board’s decision means both Menendez brothers remain behind bars, their path to freedom once again stalled, with contraband cell phones emerging as one of the most damaging marks against Lyle’s case.
