The Menendez brothers were denied parole. They have to wait at least 18 months for their next chance

By Jaimie Ding Associated Press LOS ANGELES Erik and Lyle Menendez were denied parole by a California board this week after decades in prison for killing their parents in at their Beverly Hills mansion During two days of hearings the brothers were each questioned by panels of two commissioners and solicited to speak with complete candor on the abuse they suffered in childhood their mindsets leading up to and after the murders and various prison transgressions Related Articles San Jose father arrested after infant death declared a homicide Bay Area man pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor Donald Trump s million NY civil fraud penalty vacated on appeal Alameda DA drops cases against deputies clinicians in Santa Rita Jail death of Maurice Monk Alameda County DA to dismiss charges against of jail defendants in Maurice Monk s death sister says The brothers were sentenced to life in prison in for fatally shooting Jose and Kitty Menendez The development has long captivated true crime enthusiasts with the brothers amassing population help in the past year after shows on Netflix renewed interest The hearings marked the closest they have come to freedom since their convictions Despite each receiving three-year denials they will be eligible to request an administrative review in one year If granted they could appear before the parole board again as early as months from now Here are the takeaways from the hearings Having prohibited cellphones is not a minor prison infraction While it might not seem like a big deal to the non-incarcerated residents commissioners emphasized to the brothers that their use of illicit cellphones cast a shadow on their positive achievements while behind bars Cellphones can be used to order hits move drugs in prison and coordinate attacks on officers they noted Their presence meant a correctional officer had to smuggle them in and a prison gang may have benefited by charging a tax on it Commissioner Robert Barton recounted Erik Menendez What I got in terms of the phone and my connection with the outside world was far greater than the consequences of me getting caught with the phone Erik Menendez revealed He disclosed he used it to speak with his wife watch YouTube listen to music and watch pornography In denying him parole Barton declared his behavior was selfish a sign he believes the rules do not apply to him and the ends justify the means Lyle Menendez also had two current cellphone infractions including one in March He commented correctional staffers were monitoring his communications with his wife and family and selling their content to tabloids so he saw cellphones as a privacy measure There was a lot of stress in his marriage around the time he transferred to the prison in San Diego and he desired to stay in touch with his wife he reported I had convinced myself that this wasn t a means that was harming anyone but myself in a rule violation Lyle Menendez mentioned I didn t think it really disrupted prison management very much They have not been model prisoners as particular presumed Of the two Erik Menendez committed more serious rules infractions Commissioners questioned why he associated himself with a prison gang called the Two Fivers and helped them with a tax scheme around Menendez commented he was trying to survive an extremely violent yard where close friends were stabbed or raped I was in tremendous fear he disclosed When the Two Fivers came and demanded for help I thought this was a great opportunity to align myself with them and to survive Menendez described commissioners that he prioritized protecting himself over the rules because at the time he had no hope of ever getting out He used drugs and alcohol in his early years behind bars but became sober in on his mother s birthday he commented While Lyle Menendez committed fewer violations commissioner Julie Garland noted he still demonstrated antisocial personality traits like deception minimization and rule latest that lie beneath that positive surface Prisoners who break rules are more likely to do so in society as well she explained Why they killed their mother remains a sticking point Commissioners expressed concerns over the killing of Kitty Menendez with Barton saying he uncovered that it displayed Erik Menendez was devoid of human compassion at the time I can t put myself in your place I don t know that I ve ever had rage to that level ever Barton noted But that is still concerning especially since it seems she was also a victim herself of the domestic violence Barton declared the brothers were not in imminent fear for their lives and should have sought help from other family members or gone to the police As for Lyle Menendez Garland commented shooting Kitty Menendez one final time was extremely callous She also highlighted his actions in covering up the crime such as lying to the police and trying to avoid prosecution Parole denials are not unheard of for prisoners with moderate exposure Gov Gavin Newsom previously ordered the California parole board to conduct a exposure assessment of the brothers in response to a clemency request While it was never made population LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman revealed in May that both brothers were deemed moderate exposure Barton stated he deemed that assessment to be neutral as far as he considered it at all A analysis by the Prison Agenda Initiative revealed that California prisoners with moderate threat were granted parole of the time The nonprofit ranked the state as among the greater part formidable for obtaining parole Family members back the brothers More than a dozen relatives spoke at the two hearings to advocate for their release Aunt Teresita Menendez-Baralt Jose Menendez s sister commented she is dying from Stage cancer and wishes to welcome them home I want to make clear that although I love my brother I have fully forgiven Erik she revealed Erik carries himself with kindness integrity and strength that comes from patience and grace Natascha Leonardo Kitty Menendez s great-niece promised the parole board that she would provide a home of unconditional love and stability for him in Colorado where he could spend time with family and nature Family members stated in a report that while they are disappointed parole was denied they are not discouraged We know they are good men who have done the work to rehabilitate and are remorseful they reported We love them unconditionally and will continue to stand by them on the journey ahead