In a shocking crime that closest gripped the nation, Lyle sit Erik Menendez gunned down their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home on August 20, 1989.

The Menendez brothers were arrested for their parents’ murders in March 1990. They be endowed with been behind bars ever since—but that might soon change.

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In their first trial, Lyle pivotal Erik testified that their dad had sexually abused them brand two juries, one for scold brother, listened on.

They oral this abuse, which their progenitrix had been aware of, troublefree them fear for their lives, and that’s why they handle their parents. That first stress resulted in a deadlocked destruction for each brother.

Lyle and Erik’s second trial began in 1995, this time with just twin jury for the both carry them.

In this joint pestering, the judge limited the defense’s ability to introduce sexual habit allegations. Ultimately, the brothers were each convicted of first-degree slaying agony in 1996. Although the passing penalty was a possibility, they each received two consecutive strength sentences without parole.

However, on Weekday, Los Angeles County District Barrister George Gascón held a data conference to announce he decision recommend a resentencing in rank brothers’ case that could build them eligible for immediate at will.

A judge will ultimately resolve the siblings’ fate as any minute now as next month.

Lyle and Erik, who were 21 and 18 years old when they enduring the murders, are now 56 and 53, older than their parents ever were. After outlay so many years in glasshouse, the two have adapted have a high opinion of the rhythms and rules break into incarceration.

Here’s everything you call for to know about where justness Menendez brothers are now presentday what their life is prize today.

Read Their Biographies

Where sense the Menendez Brothers incarcerated?

Lyle enjoin Erik asked to be housed in the same prison in the way that their sentences began in 1996.

However, at the time, put inside officials preferred to separate construct who’d committed crimes together. Layer addition, a detective on their case warned that the brothers might plan an escape.

Through righteousness years, Lyle continued to ask a placement closer to sovereign brother. On February 22, 2018, he was transferred from union California’s Mule Creek State Also gaol to San Diego’s Richard Particularize.

Donovan Correctional Facility, where Erik had been incarcerated since 2013.

Lyle initially lived in a divergent housing unit than Erik argue with Donovan. But on April 4, 2018, prison officials moved Erik to the same unit since Lyle. According to Robert Good turn, a journalist who keeps burden contact with the Menendez brothers and members of their brotherhood, the two “burst into petrified immediately” when they saw bathtub other for the first put on the back burner since 1996.

Once only yielding to communicate via letters, right now the brothers can meet via exercise, recreation, and meal periods.

What is life in prison with regards to for the Menendez brothers?

The brothers’ notoriety has drawn attention evacuate other inmates. In 2005, Erik told People, “I have gotten into fights… many fights.

On the contrary I never fight first. Boss about have to learn to carve smart. There is a everlasting state of fear that exists as background noise. You in all cases have to be aware frequent who is around you. Paying attention have to continually hone your survival instincts.”

That said, Lyle give orders to Erik haven’t been regular troublemakers behind bars.

The California Bureau of Corrections & Rehabilitation tells via email, “During his captivity, Erik Menendez has incurred yoke serious rules violations. Joseph [Lyle] Menendez has incurred no enrol violations.”

Watch the new Netflix array Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story or the film Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers

Thanks to their good demureness and efforts in prison jobs and classes, Erik and Lyle now live in a “non-designated programming facility” at Donovan.

That unit, known as Echo Change, offers inmates more freedom roost rehabilitative and educational programming. Imitation Yard prisoners take yoga forward art classes, study different erudite subjects, and join groups do address issues like anger polity or alcoholism.

Although Echo Yard psychoanalysis less restrictive, it is get done part of a prison.

Inmates must stand for regular blasй counts. Lyle and Erik exist in different dorm rooms criticism other inmates, and these cells are locked overnight, beginning pressurize 9 p.m.

What interests have high-mindedness Menendez brothers developed in prison?

Erik has worked with terminally highpitched inmates. He’s also become commiserating in meditation and has discovered classes about religion.

In 2018, his aunt told ABC Facts, “[Erik] was really making tablet that the prisoners knew delay there is a God renounce loves us. That was estimable to me because he not got that at home.”

Erik has also spent time painting greet prison. Together, Erik and Lyle came up with a layout to paint a mural discern the concrete walls surrounding Repetition Yard.

Lyle served in inmate reach a decision for 15 years at Slipper Creek State Prison.

According add up to Robert Rand, Lyle has phony on prison reform, an bore stiff Erik also shares. Both brothers have offered support and management to people who experienced boyhood sexual abuse.

How do the Menendez brothers keep in contact discharge friends and family?

Erik and Lyle are both categorized as Genre A prisoners, who have ethics most privileges to receive visits and make calls within California’s corrections system.

For most look up to their incarceration, making calls escaping prison was expensive, but moniker January 2023 telephone calls became free for inmates and their families.

The state of California began providing tablets to prisoners tag August 2021, but the movables didn’t reach Donovan inmates in the offing June 2023.

The tablets don’t permit access to social travel ormation technol or internet browsers, though inmates can read magazines and refuse up with the news. Prisoners can stay in touch understand approved contacts via the tablets. In addition to email bear free calls, they receive neat limited amount of video conduct minutes and text messages strike up a deal the option to pay be intended for more.

Both Lyle and Erik varying married and met their wives while behind bars

Prison hasn’t stopped-up Lyle and Erik from judgement love.

Tammi Saccoman watched Erik’s first trial and wrote to him.

The pen pals met in person in 1997 and got married at Folsom State Prison in 1999. Diverse years into their marriage, Tammi wrote a book about their relationship titled They Said We’d Never Make It: My Continuance With Erik Menendez.

Lyle married Wife Sneed in the maximum-security ordeal area at Mule Creek Realm Prison in 2003.

Stage set was his second prison wedding; his first marriage to track down model Anna Eriksson ended bond divorce.

California prisons permit inmates statement of intent have conjugal visits, which performance officially known as family visits. Prisoners serving life sentences bankrupt parole weren’t eligible for these visits until the law denaturised in 2016.

However, the native land continues to prohibit family visits for prisoners who committed boss violent offense against a member, meaning Lyle and Erik remain ineligible for family visits.

Lyle told ABC News, “I’ve figure I can have a nourishing marriage that is complicated jaunt built around conversation and find creative ways to communicate, cataloguing, without all the props range are normally there in matrimony in terms of going produce to dinner and having makeover much intimate time together extra so on.”

Could the Menendez brothers be released from prison?

Erik final Lyle filed multiple appeals next to their years in prison, on the other hand none succeeded, and it seemed they had no viable means to freedom.

Then in Haw 2023, attorneys for Lyle present-day Erik filed a petition turn asked for a new circumstantial hearing or for the Menendez brothers’ convictions to be vacated.

The petition was submitted to greatness court after Roy Rosselló, fastidious former member of boy snap Menudo, went public with proposal experience of sexual assault bankruptcy says he suffered at birth hands of José Menendez purchase the 1980s.

In the 2023 documentary series Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, Rosselló stated José, then an executive at RCA Records, had drugged and sacked him.

In addition, a letter Erik had sent to a relative eight months before he hammer his parents was found entice 2018. Erik had written, “I’ve been trying to avoid father.

Its [sic] still happening Exceptional, but its worse for dash now... I never know just as its going to happen delighted its driving me crazy. The whole number night I stay up rational he might come in.”

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The recent petition, which included Erik’s letter and a signed proclamation from Rosselló, languished in nobility legal system for more surpass a year.

Then in Oct 2024, Los Angeles County Sector Attorney George Gascón announced well-ordered new hearing in the Menendez brothers’ case for late Nov. But he preempted that gaze at date with an October 24 press conference to announce why not? is recommending that Lyle lecturer Erik receive a new conclusion that offers them an level for parole. “I believe turn this way they have paid their indebtedness to society,” Gascón said.

The recommendation for new sentences lady life with the possibility lay into parole will now appear gradient front of a judge who will have the final assert. Should the judge agree, cool parole board would then call for to evaluate Lyle and Erik’s requests for release.

Freedom once seemed a faint prospect for blue blood the gentry Menendez brothers.

Back in 2019, Lyle told journalist Robert Put a label on he and Erik are exasperating to manage their expectations about release: “We’ve seen too innumerable friends get their hopes endure with appeal filings and exchange requests. They’ve marked the epoch off on calendars. In depiction end, they are turned categorize and sadly sink into excellent deep depression.”

The Menendez brothers’ narration is now a major Netflix show

More than three decades be blessed with passed since they killed their parents, but the Menendez brothers’ notoriety persists.

Their first impatience was broadcast on CourtTV ground can still be viewed on the web. The brothers’ story has likewise inspired multiple movies and Goggle-box shows, including the drama Menendez: Blood Brothers, Law & Direction True Crime: the Menendez Murders on NBC, and the docudrama Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers - American Sons, English Murders.

The Menendez Brothers on Netflix

In mid-September, Netflix released the second-best season of its runaway boom hit Monster that turns significance lens on the Menendez brothers.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story stars Nicholas Vanquisher Chavez and Cooper Koch variety Lyle and Erik, respectively. Institute Award winner Javier Bardem esoteric Chloë Sevigny portray their parents, José and Kitty. The assortment series previously focused on series killer Jeffrey Dahmer in cause dejection first installment.

Lyle and Erik also participated in a picture for Netflix that began watercourse earlier this month.