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The Menendez brothers just faced their closest shot at freedom in more than 30 years — and lost. In a one-two gut punch, both Erik (54) and Lyle (57) were denied parole this week in California, leaving their family devastated and sparking outspoken support from Rosie O’Donnell, who renewed her call for their release. The denials also raise the lingering question: will they ever breathe free air again?
Erik’s stepdaughter Talia Menendez didn’t hold back. Within hours of Lyle’s hearing, she blasted the parole board’s decision as a “complete setup from the inside.”
“You can all judge me for being angry,” she wrote on Instagram. “We will not stop until they are free. Our fight is not over.”
The 20-something, who has become the loudest new voice in the Menendez fight, admitted she had never been so hopeful — only to be crushed when both brothers were knocked down in back-to-back hearings.
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Talia Menendez; Lyle Menendez. Credit : Apu Gomes/Getty; California Department of Corrections/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock
While the public still debates whether the killings were an act of survival or cold-blooded greed, commissioners zeroed in on something else: the brothers’ prison records.
Erik’s rap sheet inside includes contraband, gang ties, and even a tax-fraud scheme with fellow inmates. He admitted using smuggled phones for calls, YouTube, and porn. “Selfish,” the commissioner called it.
Lyle’s record looked cleaner, but not clean enough. He, too, had repeated cellphone violations — including one just five months ago. Commissioner Julie Garland accused him of minimizing and bending rules: “Those anti-social traits are still there.”
In short: decades of good behavior weren’t enough to outweigh the rule-breaking that never fully stopped.
Since their 1996 conviction for gunning down parents José and Kitty in their $5 million Beverly Hills mansion, the Menendez saga has been one of America’s longest-running true crime obsessions.
Their story has been dissected endlessly — from the timeline of the murders in 1989 to their 1996 sentencing, through years of appeals and cultural reappraisals.
Netflix reignited public fascination with its Monsters series, which cast the brothers’ case alongside other infamous American crimes. The portrayal sparked a wave of renewed sympathy and debate, especially among younger viewers.
Then there’s the money question. The brothers’ so-called “spending spree” after the killings — expensive watches, luxury cars, trips — became a central part of the prosecution’s case and still fuels coverage of Menendez money today.
Supporters say they were abused victims acting in fear. Critics argue they were entitled killers chasing inheritance.
But to the parole board, the narrative isn’t about Netflix, timelines, or money. It’s about whether the brothers can follow rules — and that’s where they keep falling short.
Not every family member is giving up. Cousin Anamaria Baralt admitted it was a crushing week but insisted hope remains.
“This is not a long time. Yes, there was a denial … but at the same time, there is still light at the end of the tunnel,” she said, pointing out that the brothers could try again in as little as 18 months.
For now, Erik and Lyle remain locked up, their pleas drowned out by disciplinary histories and parole boards unwilling to take risks. But the family is digging in, launching fresh appeals and keeping public pressure alive.
As Talia put it bluntly: “They’re getting older and older. Enough is enough.”
Will they ever get out? Legally, the door isn’t shut — but every denial makes it harder to believe freedom is coming.
Why were the Menendez brothers denied parole?
Because of their prison misconduct — contraband phones, gang ties, and dishonesty — not just the original murders.
Can they try again soon?
Yes. They can request an administrative review in a year and could return to the parole board in 18 months.
Why does their case divide people?
Supporters say they were abused boys acting in desperation. Critics say they were spoiled killers chasing inheritance and Menendez money.
Do they still have family support?
Absolutely. Relatives testified, cousins went public, and Erik’s stepdaughter Talia vowed to keep fighting until they’re free.
