Inside the Menendez Brothers' Fight For Freedom — as Killer Siblings Will Have To Spill Disturbing Details of Bloody Crime to Parole Board For First Time Ever
Lyle and Erik Menendez's fight for freedom may be close to ending.
Aug. 20 2025, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Convicted killers Erik and Lyle Menendez are set to face a parole board in hopes of being released from prison after more than 30 years... but they will need to reveal all of the details of their crime to stand any chance of getting freed, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The brothers are expected to be questioned under oath, and we will have to reveal why they shot their parents at their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.
What The Parole Board Needs To Hear
Lyle and Erik Menendez will have to be honest and reveal all of the details of their crime.
In a recent court filing, Erik and Lyle's attorneys confirmed: "No court has ever heard the full story in this case, the depth and depravity of the abuse suffered by Lyle and Erik, and their remarkable journal of personal transformation," that is until now, as Erik, 54, will see the board on Thursday, August 21, and Lyle, 57, will see them the following day.
The brothers were originally sentenced to life without parole for the gruesome killings, but earlier this year, a judge resentenced them to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
While Erik and Lyle have received praise for their behavior behind bars, it won't have much of an impact on the board if the pair is not honest about their crime, which they have never denied committing. The brothers claimed they ended the lives of their parents, José and Mary Louise, after Erik allegedly suffered years of abuse at the hands of his father.
However, the Los Angeles district attorneys had argued they killed them to inherit a multimillion-dollar fortune.
Wil Their Behavior In Prison Matter?
The brothers are set to face a parole board this week.
According to Erik and Lyle's lawyers, the pair will confess to the numerous lies they told to cover up the crime, which were labeled "heinous and cruel," but will inform the parole they committed the vile act to escape the hell they were living in.
But attorney Cliff Gardner made clear that what may ultimately matter is how much the duo has changed over time, stating: "Thirty-five years of really extraordinary conduct speaks louder than the lies they told to avoid culpability at the ages of 18 and 21. That is what maturity is."
If the parole board decides to set both brothers free, they may walk as soon as this October.
The brothers' loved ones have fought for the pair's release for years, and they remain "cautiously optimistic" due to their "stellar record" in prison.
The Fight Continues
The convicted killers' loved ones have done all they can to see the brothers be set freed after decades behind bars.
The family said in a statement: "We know that Erik and Lyle will come home; that is no longer a doubt. We just hope that they are granted this second chance in time to hug their Aunt Joan and Aunt Terry."
Even Lyle's ex-wife, Anna Eriksson, has championed them, previously saying: "Trust me – anyone who wanted Erik and Lyle to suffer has absolutely got their wish. The suffering they have endured during their time behind bars is unimaginable."
However, District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman pushed back and raged in a statement: "The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents, instead continuing to promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago.
"We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society. We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing..."
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The brothers have already been portrayed on media, most recently on the Netflix series, 'Monsters.'
Public interest in the high-profile case soared again after Ryan Murphy and Netflix released Monsters in 2024, a show focused on the shotgun killings.
