The infamous Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, have once again hit a legal dead end. More than three decades after the 1989 murders of their parents, the brothers’ latest attempt at securing a new trial has been rejected by L.A. Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan, dashing their hopes for release anytime soon.
The denial comes less than a month after both brothers were also denied parole, following resentencing in May that made them eligible for early release for the first time since their life without parole sentence in 1996. The judge’s new ruling dismisses the siblings’ habeas corpus petition, which cited newly surfaced evidence of sexual abuse by their father, Jose Menendez, as justification for a retrial.
Judge Ryan stated in a 16-page ruling that the “purported new evidence” — including testimony from former Menudo member Roy Rossello and a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez describing sexual abuse — failed to meet the legal standard necessary to reverse the original convictions. He wrote, “The evidence alleged here is not so compelling that it would have produced a reasonable doubt in the mind of at least one juror.”
The brothers’ defense had hoped that this evidence would support a claim of imperfect self-defense, but the court disagreed, maintaining that the premeditation and deliberation involved in the murders — including the use of reloaded shotguns and the element of lying in wait — overshadowed any possible justification.
The Peacock docuseries Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed played a central role in reviving public interest in the case, particularly with Roy Rossello’s claim that he was also abused by Jose Menendez in the early 1980s. Coupled with Erik’s letter to his late cousin Andy Cano, the defense argued that this established a pattern of behavior consistent with the brothers’ version of events.
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Despite support from many family members and growing interest in the case from viewers of Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the legal system remains unconvinced. LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, long skeptical of the brothers’ narrative, opposed the motion for a new trial and is expected to address the outcome in an upcoming press conference.
Now in their 50s and housed at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego, the brothers must wait 18 months before becoming eligible for another parole hearing. They may also consider seeking clemency from Governor Gavin Newsom, though the governor has given no indication that he is considering intervening in the case.
As public and legal interest continues to evolve, the Menendez brothers’ case remains one of the most controversial and heavily debated true crime stories in modern American history — but for now, their future continues to rest behind bars.
