Infamous parent killer Lyle Menendez denied parole a day after brother Erik

Lyle Menendez - one half of the Beverly Hills brothers who gunned down their wealthy parents in 1989 - has been denied parole just a day after his younger brother Erik's bid for release was also rejected.

The pair, now aged 57 and 54, became household names in the early 1990s when they stood trial for the shotgun killings of Jose and Kitty Menendez inside the family's Beverly Hills mansion. Both were sentenced to life without parole - a punishment later reduced to 50 years to life, giving them their first real shot at release. Lyle and Erik have long claimed they acted out of desperation after suffering years of sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of their father.

More than a dozen family members supported their petitions for release, praising their rehabilitation and pointing to the brothers' mentoring, educational work, and good conduct behind bars. Public campaigns, amplified by celebrities including Kim Kardashian, have also called for their freedom - and the case gained further public attention last year when Netflix released a documentary and miniseries on the brothers.

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On Friday, a panel of two commissioners recommended that Lyle not be released for another three years, after which he will be eligible to apply for parole again. The panel argued there were still signs he would pose a risk to the public if released, despite a psychologist concluding he is at "very low" risk for violence upon release.

During the hearing, Menendez cried and took full responsibility for the killings. He said in his closing remarks: "I will never be able to make up for the harm and grief I caused everyone in my family. I am so sorry to everyone, and I will be forever sorry."

The news came just a day after his brother Erik Menendez was also denied parole by a panel of California commissioners. In 2023, a request was made for a judge to consider evidence that their father had sexually abused them. The brothers are yet to hear of the outcome. Prosecutors in the 90s argued the pair had planned to kill their parents for financial gain.

Speaking to the panel on Friday, Menendez detailed the abuse at the hands of his father, claiming he was choked, punched and hurt using a belt. "I was the special son in my family," he said. "My brother was the castaway. The physical abuse was focused on me because I was more important to him, I felt."

Lyle also said he was sexually abused by his mother, but struggled to discuss the matter when questioned by the panel on why it wasn't disclosed during a risk assessment earlier this year.