LOS ANGELES — Lyle Menendez was denied parole on Friday by the California Board of Parole Hearings, following a similar decision for his brother Erik the previous day. Both brothers have been serving life sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. The board cited misbehavior in prison as the primary reason for the denial.

During a lengthy hearing, a panel of two commissioners determined that Lyle Menendez still exhibited “anti-social personality traits like deception, minimization, and rule-breaking.” Commissioner Julie Garland acknowledged the challenges Menendez faced, stating, “We do understand that you had very little hope of being released for years. Citizens are expected to follow the rules whether or not there is some incentive to do so.” Despite this, she noted that the panel found his remorse to be genuine and described him as a “model inmate in many ways who has demonstrated the potential for change.” Garland encouraged him, saying, “Don’t ever not have hope.”

The Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison in 1996 after being convicted of fatally shooting their parents. Their defense claimed they acted in self-defense due to years of sexual abuse by their father, while prosecutors argued they were motivated by a desire for their parents' wealth. A judge recently reduced their sentences, making them eligible for parole for the first time in nearly three decades.

Lyle Menendez, during his hearing, shared details of the abuse he endured as a child. He became emotional while discussing his feelings of guilt and responsibility for the murders. “I will never be able to make up for the harm and grief I caused everyone in my family,” he said, adding, “I am so sorry to everyone, and I will be forever sorry.”

The panel asked Menendez about the impact of the abuse on his life decisions. He described his father’s physical abuse, stating, “I was the special son in my family. My brother was the castaway.” He also revealed that his mother sexually abused him, which made him uncomfortable to discuss. When asked about his feelings regarding the deaths of his parents, he expressed greater sorrow for his mother, saying, “I loved her and couldn’t imagine harming her in any way.”

Lyle Menendez’s attorney, Heidi Rummel, was vocal during the hearing, challenging the commissioners on their questioning and the evidence they had access to. The panel inquired whether the murders were premeditated, to which Menendez responded, “There was zero planning. There was no way to know it was going to happen Sunday.” He described the purchase of the guns as “the biggest mistake.”

Rummel expressed frustration that the hearing focused more on the crime than on Menendez’s achievements in prison, where he has reportedly not engaged in violence and has built positive relationships with staff. “How many people with an LWOP sentence come in front of this board with zero violence?” she asked.

More than a dozen family members attended the hearing via videoconference, with some choosing not to testify due to privacy concerns. Lyle Menendez’s aunt, Teresita Menendez-Baralt, expressed her support, saying, “I want my nephew to hear how much I love him, and believe in him.”

The board also scrutinized Menendez’s use of cellphones in prison, which he defended as a means to protect his privacy amid stress in his marriage. Commissioner Patrick Reardon acknowledged his efforts in starting a prison beautification project and mentorship programs but questioned whether the cellphone violations overshadowed those accomplishments.

A psychologist’s assessment indicated that Menendez poses a “very low” risk for violence if released. He has not been involved in any fights during his incarceration and has committed to a non-violent life, stating, “My life has been defined by extreme violence. I wanted to be defined by something else.”

The Menendez brothers still have a pending habeas corpus petition filed in May 2023, seeking a review of their convictions based on new evidence related to their claims of abuse.