Verdict Archive

What the courts decided

Case file · Los Angeles County Superior Court, California, United States

Joseph Lyle Menendez and Erik Galen Menendez: charges, verdict and sentence

People
v.
Menendez
Los Angeles County Superior Court, California, United States · 1990 to 2026

Lyle and Erik Menendez were charged with first-degree murder over the August 1989 killings of their parents in Beverly Hills. After the juries in their first trials deadlocked in 1994, a single jury convicted both of first-degree murder in March 1996 and they were sentenced to life without parole. In May 2025 a judge resentenced them to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole, which was denied in August 2025, and a request for a new trial was denied in September 2025.

Where it stands nowAs of September 2026 both brothers remained in California state prison, held at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego as of August 2025, with parole denied in August 2025 and an early parole suitability hearing tentatively set for March 2027. No clemency had been granted by Governor Gavin Newsom in the sources reviewed.

Charges and outcomes

ChargeOutcomeDate
First-degree murder, Lyle Menendez1ConvictedMarch 1996
First-degree murder, Erik Menendez1ConvictedMarch 1996

Sentence

Life without parole (July 1996), reduced on resentencing on 13 May 2025 to 50 years to life with parole eligibility.

Court record, stage by stage

  1. arrestLyle Menendez was arrested and Erik Menendez surrendered days later, and both were charged with first-degree murder1
  2. trialFirst trials began with separate juries for each brother. The defence admitted the killings and argued self-defence1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  3. verdictBoth juries deadlocked and a mistrial was declared1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  4. retrialRetrial began before a single jury1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  5. verdictJury convicted both brothers of first-degree murder1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  6. sentenceBoth sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  7. appealHabeas corpus petition filed seeking to vacate the convictions or obtain an evidentiary hearing1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  8. resentencingDistrict Attorney George Gascon recommended that the court resentence the brothers1
  9. resentencingDistrict Attorney Nathan Hochman asked the court to withdraw the resentencing motion1
  10. resentencingJudge Michael Jesic ruled that resentencing could proceed over the district attorney's opposition1
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  11. resentencingBoth resentenced to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole because they were under 26 at the time of the offence1,2
    Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judge Michael Jesic
  12. appealParole commissioners denied parole to both brothers at hearings on 21 August (Erik) and 22 August 2025 (Lyle), citing prison rule violations including illegal cellphone use. They may reapply in three years, which could be shortened to 18 months2,3
    California Board of Parole Hearings
  13. appealJudge William C. Ryan denied the request for a new trial, finding the new evidence did not negate premeditation and deliberation2
    Los Angeles County Superior Court
  14. appealNext parole suitability hearing advanced to a tentative date in March 2027 from August 20282,4
    California Board of Parole Hearings

Notable rulings

Sources

  1. ABC7 News, Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom (21 August 2025)
  2. KMPH (Sinclair National Desk), Menendez brothers' next shot at freedom moved up more than a year to March 2027 (8 September 2026)
  3. ABC News (Good Morning America), Lyle and Erik Menendez after denied parole (26 August 2025)
  4. ABC News, Menendez brothers granted early parole hearing (2026)

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