On May 15, 2025, the Menendez Brothers, Erik and Lyle, took another step toward possible freedom. California Governor Gavin Newsom withdrew his request for a clemency investigation into their case. This took a drastic turn into the hearing that is scheduled on June 13th before the parole board for the brother’s chance for an early release.
What does the Governor’s withdrawal of his request for a clemency investigation mean? If the Menendez brothers go before the parole board, it is up to the parole board to decide if they receive an early release, but they will be on parole. If Governor Gavin Newsom granted them clemency, they would possibly receive an early release and would not be on parole. This means they would have total freedom and not have to report to a parole officer. All bets are off, and they are free.
Gavin Newsom’s Clemency Withdrawal
Governor Gavin Newsom noted that he occasionally rejects the parole board’s recommendations. Newsom said, “I greatly respect their judgment and the relatively small percentage of parole applications they approve, and I tend to approve most of them. I’m the ultimate arbiter and will have to review the parole board’s recommendations.”
On Wednesday, the Board informed legal representatives that the Governor was no longer pursuing the clemency investigations because of the decision to change the Menendez Brothers’ sentences. This decision means that hearings will now be parole board hearings. Technically, clemency is not off the table, and the requests for the Menendez Brothers are still considered active.
Menendez Brothers Taking Accountability
The Menendez Brothers are one step closer to freedom and also made statements during their hearing last Tuesday, May 13, 2025, through a live camera feed from prison in San Diego, Ca. “My actions were criminal, selfish, cruel, and cowardly, Erik Menendez said. I have no excuse, no justification for what I did; I take full responsibility for my crimes.”
Lyle also said, “he made no excuses for filling his mother and father with shotgun blasts,” and he also apologized to the nearly two dozen relatives who have spent years fighting for his release. “I’m so sorry to everyone of you, Lyle told the court on Tuesday. I lied to you and forced you into a spotlight of public humiliation you never asked for.”
In their initial hearing back in the 90s, they did lie as to why they killed their parents (as Lyle quoted above that he lied). It was also discovered that they admitted they only killed Jose and Kitty because they were worried their parents were going to kill them first, and that same night, they murdered their parents.
Final Thoughts
The decision to turn the clemency hearings into parole hearings continues to define a path for the Menendez Brothers that was set in motion last year by former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Cason. He was initially elected and filed the motion to the brothers before he was defeated in November.
His successor, District Attorney Nathan Hochman, has argued that the brothers failed to show proper insight into their crimes and have not attempted to make amends for the lies they have told for the last 30 years about the nature of the killings and the reasons for the massacre. The judge Jesic dismissed those arguments as irrelevant.
Under state law, Jesic said, “the court could block resentencing only if the defendant poses an ‘unreasonable risk of danger to public safety’ if released.” He said prosecutors failed to prove the Menendez Brothers continued to pose that threat. Next step, they go in front of the parole board that is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025. The board will determine if they are ready to be released back into society.
