The Brief

Lyle and Erik Menendez, who have spent more than three decades in prison for fatally shooting their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion, were resentenced on Tuesday, moving one step closer to potential freedom.

After a day-long hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic reduced their sentences from life in prison without parole to 50 years to life. This makes them eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law because they committed the murders before they were 26.

The brothers were found guilty in 1996 of murdering their parents, Kitty and José Menendez, in 1989 — when Erik was 18 and Lyle was 21. The brothers maintained that the killings were in self-defense, saying they had been sexually abused by their father and feared for their lives.

While there has long been a small but vocal group of supporters defending the Menendez brothers, a Netflix documentary and docudrama brought renewed attention — and sympathy — to the brothers' case last year. Their defense has also claimed there is new evidence bolstering their sexual abuse claims.

In October 2024, then-Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón recommended the brothers be resentenced, citing the "complexities surrounding sexual violence" and their "continuous rehabilitative efforts during their incarceration." His successor, Nathan Hochman, who was elected a month later, disagrees — but his attempts to block the resentencing process have been unsuccessful.

All of that culminated in Tuesday's hearing, during which the brothers' lawyers argued that they no longer pose a risk to safety and several members of their extended family lobbied for a second chance.

The Menendez brothers, now in their 50s, attended via video from prison and addressed the judge directly — apologizing for killing their parents and for lying in the ensuing court proceedings.

Erik said there was no justification for his actions, which he called "criminal, selfish and cowardly." But he also said he had "come a long way on this path of redemption," adding, "I will not stop trying to make a difference."

Judge Michael Jesic cited the brothers' rehabilitation work on themselves and others — as well as supportive letters he had received from corrections officers — in his resentencing decision, LAist reports.

"I do believe they've done enough over the last 35 years that one day they should get that chance," Jesic said.

The brothers' fate now rests with state parole officials and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has the power to either veto or grant them clemency. According to the DA's office, the state parole board is already scheduled to hold a hearing on June 13 "as part of a separate bid by the brothers for parole."

In the meantime, here's a look at how the case got here — and what might happen next.

Who are the Menendez brothers? 

Lyle and Erik Menendez spent their early years in New Jersey. The family moved to the Los Angeles area in 1986 as their father, José — an immigrant from Cuba and successful RCA record executive — rose through the ranks of the entertainment industry.

They moved into a seven-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills two years later. But the brothers say there was a dark undercurrent to their privileged lifestyle, alleging that their parents subjected them to years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

In August 1989, as José and Kitty Menendez were watching TV in their living room, the brothers walked inside and shot them to death with newly purchased 12-gauge shotguns. The brothers later called 911 and said their parents were killed by intruders.

Authorities initially suspected potential mafia involvement, due to the extreme nature of the crime scene and José's business connections. But they increasingly focused their attention on the brothers, who had embarked on a lavish spending spree in the days and weeks after the killings.

In early March 1990, Beverly Hills Police arrested Lyle in connection to his parents' murders. Erik, who was in Israel for a tennis tournament at the time, turned himself in days later.

Erik Menendez, left, and his brother, Lyle, sit in a Beverly Hills courtroom in 1992.

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What happened in court? 

The case captivated much of the country, in part because Court TV broadcast the brothers' 1993 trial live.

Defense lawyers for the brothers argued that they had acted in self-defense, with the brothers saying they feared their parents would kill them to silence stories about the alleged abuse. They alleged that José subjected them to physical and sexual abuse for years while Kitty — described as an unstable alcoholic who also abused them — let it happen.

Prosecutors, however, argued that the brothers were motivated by greed and money — their father's estate was worth nearly $15 million at the time of his death.

In that trial, each brother had his own jury. Both of them deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial.

In their second trial, the judge limited the amount of testimony and evidence presented about the brothers' claims of sexual abuse, a core pillar of the brothers' self-defense strategy.

That trial ended in 1996 with each brother convicted of first-degree murder. They were sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.

What have the brothers done in prison?

The first 20 years of that prison sentence saw the brothers kept in separate prisons, but they have been housed in the same San Diego correctional facility since 2018.

The brothers' lawyers have described them as model prisoners who have given back to others.

Both brothers got married behind bars: Erik married his pen-pal-turned-wife Tammi in 1999, while Lyle married Rebecca Sneed in 2003. Sneed announced their separation in 2024 but said she remained "forever committed to the enduring fight for Lyle and Erik's freedom."

Lyle earned a sociology degree from the University of California, Irvine through a prison program.

Kim Kardashian — the reality star and criminal justice advocate — wrote in a 2024 essay that both brothers "have earned multiple college degrees, worked as caregivers for elderly incarcerated individuals in hospice, and been mentors in college programs." Those efforts include launching a beautification project in their San Diego prison.

Even as he lobbied against the brothers' release at Tuesday's hearing, calling them untrustworthy, Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian acknowledged that they had "done great things" in prison by starting and participating in rehabilitation programs for others, per LAist.

A combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez.

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What new evidence has emerged? 

Lawyers for the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition in May 2023, asking a judge to consider new evidence of their father's sexual abuse.

That evidence includes a letter Erik wrote in 1988 to his uncle Andy Cano, describing sexual abuse by his father. Their lawyers had not known of the letter before the brothers saw it mentioned in a 2015 Barbara Walters television special and asked about it, according to the Associated Press. The LAist reports it was only discovered after Cano's death.

Another piece of evidence comes from Roy Rossello, a former member of the Latin boy band Menudo — which was signed under RCA during José Menendez's tenure. He claimed in a 2023 docuseries that José had drugged and raped him in the 1980s, when he was a teenager.

The brothers' case reentered the spotlight the following year, not only because of the emerging evidence but because of new coverage: the true-crime drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (which Erik has criticized) and The Menendez Brothers documentary both arrived on Netflix in the fall of 2024.

Weeks later, two dozen Menendez relatives gathered in Los Angeles to push for the brothers' resentencing.

Joan Andersen VanderMolen, Kitty Menendez's sister, told reporters the brothers "were failed by the very people who should have protected them."

"[In the 1990s] the world was not ready to believe boys could be raped … Today, we know better," she added. "It's time to give them the opportunity to live the rest of their lives free from the shadow of their past."

What happens next? 

The brothers are eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law, but are not guaranteed to walk free anytime soon.

The California Board of Parole Hearings is the body responsible for determining whether individuals are suitable for release. According to its handbook, that process typically involves a consultation, then an initial parole hearing.

If the panel denies parole, it must do so for a period of three, five, seven, 10, or 15 years — at which point the individual would get a subsequent parole hearing. Even if the panel does approve parole, that decision can be reviewed and vetoed by the governor, under California law.

The governor's parole review process can take up to 150 days after a parole hearing, according to Newsom's website. Newsom said in February that he had directed the state's parole board to investigate whether the Menendez brothers would pose an "unreasonable" public safety risk if released.

He said the findings would be presented to the district attorney and the judge presiding over the resentencing process — and stressed there is "no guarantee of outcome here."

"My office conducts dozens and dozens of these clemency reviews on a consistent basis but this process simply provides more transparency, which I think is important in this case, and more due diligence before I make any determination for clemency," Newsom said.

The Menendez brothers are already scheduled for a board hearing on June 13, related to a separate petition for clemency. It's not clear if that will also serve as their parole hearing.
Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.