Lyle and Erik Menendez were both recently denied parole in California. The brothers went in front of two separate parole boards on Aug. 21 and 22 for their first parole hearings after the murder of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez.
In 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez, 18 and 21 years old at the time, shot and killed their parents in the family’s Beverly Hills mansion. The district attorney who tried them argued they shot their parents out of greed and financial gain.
Reason for denial
Erik Menendez, now 54, was denied parole after a 10-hour hearing. The board cited Erik Menendez’s numerous disciplinary offenses like contraband–smuggled drugs and cell phones — in the prison, his involvement in gang activity and a tax fraud scheme in their denial.
According to CNN, one commissioner questioned why Erik Menendez associated himself with the Two Fivers prison gang and helped them with the tax game around 2013.
The hearing panel said his rule breaking indicated he viewed his sentence as an end game. They described his actions as a risk to public safety and an act of selfishness.
Lyle Menendez, 57, was denied because of misconduct in use of a cell phone.
Good things while in prison
Remorse and behavior while incarcerated play a big role in parole approval. Parole boards look for growth during incarceration and consider if they meet the standard of model behavior, but behavior once released from prison is also a concern. Commissioners consider an incarcerated person suitable for parole by determining what factors indicate likelihood for rehabilitation rather than reoffence.
The productive conduct of the Menendez brothers came up during their parole decisions. Lyle Menendez became a voice for the men in prison and acted as their representation in getting their concerns heard. His brother taught mediation that provided stress relief and modulated anger. The brothers co-founded an art program for the incarcerated men to beautify the prison by making the walls their canvas.
Both brothers had numerous family members that spoke in favor of their release.
According to the commissioners, while showing signs of change Lyle and Erik Menendez still displayed antisocial traits in their rule breaking and deception. Combined with their expressed lack of remorse, both parole boards ultimately determined there weren’t enough factors for Lyle and Erik Menendez to be considered suitable for parole.
For years the world got to see the good things that the brothers did. So when the parole boards released why they were denied it came as a shock wave to some but I told you so to others.
I have seen interviews where people say if they were regular people and not a high profile crime parole wouldn’t even be a consideration in this case. Life without parole would have been the end result.
Erik and Lyle can come before the parole board again in three years. They can submit a petition for a review in 18 months.
Despite the denial, Commissioner Julie Garland told Erik not to lose hope.
