The Menendez Brothers Are One Step Closer to Freedom — A Parole Hearing Has Been Scheduled
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman demanded the Menendez brothers admit they were cold-blooded killers.
Published March 12 2025, 4:09 p.m. ET
In October 2024, then-LA County District Attorney George Gascón held a press conference in order to announce he was going to recommend Erik and Lyle Menendez for resentencing. This involved downgrading their sentence from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. Because the brothers were under the age of 26 at the time of the murders, they would be eligible for parole immediately. It's safe to say there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
A month later, Gascón ran for reelection but lost to Nathan Hochman, who upon taking office said he was going to review all the facts of the Menedez brothers' case before making a decision, per ABC News. In March 2025, DA Hochman withdrew the resentencing recommendation unless Erik and Lyle agreed to admit that they killed their parents in cold blood, and essentially lied about their defense, reported NBC News. Fortunately all is not lost for the brothers. Here is the latest update.
Here is the latest update on the Mendendez brothers' parole.
An announcement regarding the Menendez brothers' potential parole came from a strange source. California governor Gavin Newsom announced on his podcast, This is Gavin Newsom, that the brothers will have the parole hearing board recommendation on June 13, 2025. "That independent analysis will help guide the decision-making that my office is independently reviewing as it relates to the clemency application," he explained.
The governor shared that one reason he started a podcast was to "break news" because he makes "decisions on a daily basis." After DA Hochman made his shocking request, Newsom was bombarded with questions about whether or not his statements would influence the governor's decision to grant clemency. "It doesn't," he said, adding that it could influence the court. However, "the court resentencing will continue to go forward," said Newsom.
On June 13, an independent risk assessment is being conducted, after which a report will be submitted to Newsom. "We will submit that report to the judge for the resentencing," said the governor, "and that will weigh into our independent analysis of whether or not to move forward with the clemency application to support a commutation of this case." For anyone curious, Newsom has not seen the Ryan Murphy Netflix series about the Menendez brothers.
In response to DA Hochman's inflammatory statements, the Menendez brothers' lawyer said, "There isn’t a single living victim who endorses this." Mark Geragos continued, "He’s almost serially abusing them with his lies."